Avatar: Finding Yourself
by Lord Winterman
Summary: In the absence of the last airbender, to bring balance to the world, the cycle of the Avatar continues. An AU where Zuko becomes the Avatar. I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender. All property belongs to respective owners. Future crossover in the works, elements of which are contained within this story. Book Four in progress.
1. Beginnings

**A/N: Hello. Lord Winterman here. I know I'm supposed to be working on the Apocalyptian Saga, but my mind has a tendency to generate and/or refine ideas at a near constant rate (mildly hyperbolic), especially when I am trying to focus on other projects. At any rate, this story wanted to get started a little earlier than I had planned. It may still be some time yet before it gets off the backburner, but in the meantime, here's what I have so far.**

 _50 years since Hundred Year War's end_

 _Spirit World_

The familiar sensation of entering the spirit world washed over Aang. Rising from his meditative stance, he stood up to get a better look at his surroundings.

"Hullo, Avatar." Said one of the spirits passing by.

"Hello." Aang answered. It had been a while since he had last been to the spirit world, but the spirits still recognized the Bridge between Worlds on sight. They were remarkable beings. If not for his duties in the human world, he would have loved to spend more time exploring the spirit world and working with its people.

Today, he was one of the rare opportunities he had to relax and indulge himself for a change. Time to investigate something that had caught his attention the last time he had been the spirit world. Watching a flock of brightly colored squirrel-bats take flight, he climbed down into the forest.

The trees and vegetation reminded him of the Swamp. Its atmosphere was heavy and the creatures were few and far in between. Some of the trees whispered amongst themselves as he passed. Gradually, the path he was trying to follow became clearer and straighter.

"Thank you." Aang said politely.

As much as he hated to admit it, Aang knew he was not as spry as he was in his prime. Granted, some of his past encounters had contributed to that, but that did not change the fact that even walking around Air Temple Island was draining at times. There was only so much that the spirit world could alleviate.

Turning his thoughts to his present task, he realized he had finally arrived at the place of his curiosity.

A simple waterfall with a smooth surface, almost as if it were glass. It reflected perfectly, without a single disturbance to disrupt the image before him. He could see all of the bags and wrinkles age and the life as the Avatar had levied onto him. He remembered the tales of how long some of the past Avatars lived. If he were being accurate, he was well over one-hundred; the bags were not entirely out of place. Roku had greyed and aged much faster, for reasons Aang never could pinpoint.

Still, spending one hundred years in ice made the years he had experienced feel short. Not that he regretted it. True, he had made some mistakes, but when he thought about what he and his friends had accomplished, his time with his family, he would never take it back.

The reflection before him shimmered ever-so-slightly, showing someone different sitting opposite of him. The person was shrouded in shadows, but was tall with broad shoulders.

Both Aang and the person in front of him stood up in unison, reaching for the surface of the waterfall. The liquid began to glow, and with a brilliant flash of light, disappeared. Now standing on the opposite side of the mirror, Aang turned around, finding that the waterfall had disappeared. The man behind him was dressed in the garb of various cultures, but the Fire Nation was featured most prominently. The sword that was slung over his back gave off an odd feeling.

"I thought I would never see you again." The man said, turning to face Aang.

His face looked hauntingly like a man Aang had fought long ago, a man he knew to be dead. But one feature marked him as the man he knew as his friend. The ever-present scar, a burn inflicted on a boy who had made the mistake of speaking out against the plans of a megalomaniac. Some other scars marked his face, ones that Aang was not familiar with. He looked older, too, rougher skin and a full beard that reminded Aang of Uncle Iroh.

"It's been a long time, Aang."

Aang smiled. "What are you doing here, Zuko?"

"Wondering." he replied, almost sadly. "Remembering. The last time I saw you was almost ten years ago."

Realizing what he was seeing and what his friend was saying, Aang sighed. "You're not the same Zuko I know, are you?"

"No."

A pang of disappointment hit the pit of Aang's stomach, but he quickly shook it off. "What is this place?"

"I asked some of the spirits about this place. They called it the Window between Worlds. I had hoped to find some answers to my questions. Perhaps you could help me?"

"I don't know. What's it like in your world?"

"It's hard. The worlds keep trying to fall apart and there aren't enough people trying to keep it together."

"I know how that feels. So where am I in your world? How come you couldn't ask me in person?"

"Last I heard, you were off at the Southern Air Temple. Rebuilding the Air Nomads has been a tough road. That's pretty much where…you have been spending all of your time. "

"But what about the duties of the Avatar?"

Zuko let out a mirthless laugh. "You passed that on to me a long time ago. No, I am Avatar Zuko."

* * *

 **Book One: Change**

A Different Path **  
**

 _Year 99 since Sozin's War Began_

Zuko groaned as he threw the covers off his bed. Even in his ship with a steady source of warmth, not to mention his firebending keeping him warm, he could feel the cold of the Antarctic air waiting outside. Still, he went about his morning routine. After doing a hundred hop-squats, he drummed out the same number of push-ups. By then, he was warm enough to continue getting dressed.

Years of searching through hostile territory made wearing armor almost a necessity, regardless of whether or not they thought there was no-one there to see them in the first place, much less possess the courage to attack an armed Fire Nation ship, however small.

Food was delivered to his quarters. He did not care much for mingling with the crew. He had his quest and their duty was to serve him. There was no need to work on his relationship with them, though his uncle disagreed.

Regardless, the sailors bowed, giving the young prince his space, or as much space as the tight quarters of the ship allowed them to. Wordlessly, he passed them, eyes set towards the top deck. As usual, Uncle Iroh had taken his usual spot already, leaning over a game. A pot of tea sat within reaching distance of the man, trailing steam into the cold air.

"Good morning." the older man said graciously. Zuko's grunted reply made it known how much he wanted to talk as he continued on. He stood at the bow of the ship, even as the wind cut through his clothes and into his shaven scalp, still waiting for the sign, whatever it might be, that would tell him when the quest had reached its conclusion. Day in, day out he would look out to the horizon, rain, wind, or snow, hoping, reminding himself that he was one day closer to reaching his goal. Giving up would be worse than dying. It would be like ceasing to be for him.

Every place he had looked for the Avatar had been empty. Everyone they asked laughed, or if they were courteous, remind him that no one even remotely matching what they were looking for had been seen in almost a hundred years. His great-grandfather had seen the last of the dead-ends as far as the Air Nomads themselves went. It was possible that this mystery Airbender had forsaken his culture in effort to remain hidden, but that would mean that any one of the people he had encountered could be the Avatar.

Zuko clenched his jaw tightly, grinding his teeth.

"You might want to avoid doing that, Prince Zuko." Iroh said. "It will ruin your teeth."

Endearing as the old man was, Zuko found his uncle's antics a bit much at times, as was his constant fretting over trivial things. Were it not for his council, tutoring, and ever-present support, he probably would have tried to throw him overboard. The fact that he was his uncle and a powerful firebender in his own right was further deterrence.

Standing at the bow, eventually the young prince would shuffle or begin pacing. He would sit for a while or go back into the ship briefly to warm up and then repeat the process, always hoping; hoping that somehow, he would succeed where his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had failed.


	2. Winds of Change

Another day. Another repeat of the same routine.

Allowing himself to yawn, Zuko rose from his bed for his daily routine. As much as he understood the need to keep moral up while at sea, Uncle Iroh's music nights tended to keep the prince up long after he tried to go to bed.

However, he refused to take a break. Not as long as he had his mission, no matter how long or hopeless it became. Stepping onto the main deck, he strode past his uncle, who had set up a small table for another game and tea.

Watching the horizon, Zuko clenched his fists, anticipating...something.

A low rumble sent ripples across the water, barely felt on the ship, but still alarming nonetheless. But before anyone could become too alarmed, it stopped. Suddenly, a beam of light fired towards the heavens from the horizon. Stifling any physical reaction, Zuko felt a tug against his chest. It would be best not to show any sign of weakness. Not like when...

Zuko shoved those thoughts aside and stood up straight.

"Finally." he said.

[-]

Roused from slumber, Aang ambled to the top of the wall in front of him, his legs moving seemingly on their own. He could vaguely make out someone shouting at him, but he could not hear them properly.

And then he fell onto a slope of ice.

Aang felt weird. He could not quite put his finger on it. A faint, but undeniably cold wind cut through his clothes, bringing a chill to his spine. He remembered some of the trips the Southern Air Temple monks had made trips to the Water Tribe in the past, but the cold never really got to him like it was now.

Stifling a shiver, he opened his eyes and saw a beautiful girl leaning over him. She had dark skin and clear blue eyes. His voice was a bit weak at first, but he was able to convey the desire to go penguin-sledding. Jumping, he got his blood pumping in short order.

 _Definitely looks like the Water Tribe,_ Aang thought. _That would have been awkward to explain if it wasn't._

His attempts at getting his bearings was slightly delayed by the Water Tribe boy's interrogation, made worse by the prodding. The boy's questions did bring up some good points.

 _How come I didn't freeze?_

Any further musings were disrupted when he heard a familiar growling. Clambering over the ice, he found his flying bison stirring from whatever nap they had taken. In short order, Appa was on his feet and sneezing at the boy named Sokka. After from some cajoling from his sister, Katara, they were headed back to the Water Tribe siblings' village.

All things considered, it was not a terrible day, but he still clung more tightly to Appa than he ever had before. It was just so cold…

[-]

Zuko mulled his thoughts over his cooling dinner. He was practically giddy when he had seen that light. It was more than anything he had seen in the last month. Keeping with his usual demeanor, his uncle argued at the possibility of celestial lights, but Zuko remembered the detour he had gone on not too long after he started his quest.

No. This was something more, and he had ordered the helmsman to set a course for the beacon, or whatever it was.

Taking a sip of tea, he pondered the next course of action. It had been more than a century since Avatar Roku had been seen. His successor would be just as old, provided he had not died in the intervening years, passing the Avatar to the next nation. Not that that meant that he was wasting his time in his present search. Today's events more than proved that.

There were plenty of reasons to hide in a backwater like the Southern Water tribe. Fire Lord Azulon finished the bulk of their forces long before he had died and had crippled the possibility of any waterbenders coming from this part of the world. Even from the rumors, the meager token forces they had sent to the Earth Kingdom were all non-benders. What better place to hide than somewhere the Fire Nation's forces were not currently bothering with.

Zuko had been training intensively before, but his basics were still not up to a full mastery, something his uncle had noted. Now, he would have to raise the intensity even further. Even if, somehow, the Air Nomad that had become the Avatar had passed on, he was, at the least, going up against someone who had mastered all four elements.

Not a threat to be taken lightly.

At least now he would not be spending fruitless hours standing at the bow. That time could now be devoted to training. He would need to work extra hard in order to convince his uncle to advance his training.

[-]

Aang had considerable trouble getting out of the sleeping bag. Everything told him to remain where the warmth was. Any notion of sleeping in was banished by Katara opening the flap at the entrance. The sun was more or less in the same spot as it had been before he had gone to sleep. He tried not to think about it too much, though.

"Could I get a coat?" Aang asked.

"I'm sure I can find a spare." Katara replied, eager to attend to her guest.

As much as he hated the thought of wearing any animal, the cold was getting to him in a way that was worrying. The Air Temples got plenty cold, especially during the winter months. But the clothes he had worn had always held up against the wind, and even with a shaved head, it never bothered him that much.

 _Maybe it was because I was stuck in the ice_ , he thought.

Supplied with the necessary layers, Aang was led out in front of, as Katara put it, the entire village. It was smaller than he would have expected it, and everyone seemed nervous at his every move. Sure, they weren't as paranoid as

Flying with the extra weight threw him a little off-balance at first, but he adjusted quickly enough. Still, his showing off sent him crashing into a snow structure which was supposed to be a watch tower. Picking himself up to the sounds of laughter, Aang felt himself a bit more normal, as if he hadn't flown in years.

Gran-gran took Katara aside to work on chores, prompting the rest of the village to follow suit.

Aang explored the village until the need to relieve himself prompted him to seek the latrine. After the initial cold and finishing his business, he was greeted by a small crowd of children escaping Sokka during his lessons.

"Man," Aang said. "Everything freezes in there."

The children laughed, but Sokka grew more irritated.

"We don't have time for games with the war going on." he shouted angrily.

"What war?" Aang asked.

Sokka stopped, looking at Aang incredulously."You're kidding me?"

Before anything else could be said, a waddling penguin-otter offered Aang quick escape from the conversation.

[-]

The sound metal scraping against a whetstone rang against the walls in Zuko's chambers. Normally, he would leave this sort of work to the armorer, but sharpening his own blades was something of a calming, meditative exercise.

It had been years since he had last trained with Piandao. His old master was a good teacher. He was one of the few people that had treated Zuko with respect, instead of disdain. The Fire Lord was slightly less appreciative of the sword master's involvement in his son's life. To him, it was trying to cover up one of Zuko's inadequacies, namely his firebending.

Regardless, even if he had not made stringent use of the weapons, he had taken steps to ensure that he never got rusty.

A knock on the door snapped him out of his musings.

Putting up the weapons, he turned to the door. "Yes?"

"Prince Zuko," Zhen said. "We're getting close to where the light originated."

"Excellent." he replied, making sure to hide his excitement. "I will be up there shortly."

Climbing up to the bridge, Zuko observed the notations made on the map. Based on what he was seeing, they were in a rough approximation of their objective. However, when he stepped onto the observation deck, most of what he could see was empty waters with icebergs that were either too small or lacked any signs of life.

"What is the nearest settlement?" Zuko wondered aloud as he walked back to the map.

Lieutenant Jee cleared his throat. "Your highness, it would be difficult to properly track all of the scattered settlements in the area given the nature of the terrain."

Breathing sharply, Zuko pressed against the map.

 _Where could you go?_ he thought. "Have us circle around. Look for any landmarks or lasting features. We'll work our way out from there."

"Yes, your highness." Said Jee.

Zuko's eyebrows tightened. Regardless of the words, Jee always had a slight sneer whenever he was talking to him. He knew he was not his sister; he lacked the adoration and respect that she had. But the mission was far more important than whatever dislike the Lieutenant had for him.

Stepping out onto the observation deck, he stoked his inner fire to ward off the cold. Thankfully, they did not have to go too far until they found something on the horizon.

The ship was ancient, likely from the earliest years of the Fire Nations attack against the Southern Water Tribe. Before their waterbenders had been dealt with. Ships like that usually sank instead of being propped up for all to see. Likely intended to be a warning against future attacks that was unheeded.

Looking through the telescope, the sudden flash of light was most distracting. However, he quickly recognized it as a flare. The fact that there was functioning equipment on the derelict ship made it clear that no one had come to salvage, or at least not until today.

A sudden motion at the top of the bridge drew his attention. Two people flew out of a tear in the roof, one carrying the other. The one doing the carrying moved with an absurd level of agility. A clear sign as far as the prince was concerned.

"An airbender." Zuko said, allowing a satisfied tone creep into his voice. Jee audibly stood straighter. Zuko, however, had his thought processes devoted to analyzing his objective. Even wearing Water Tribe clothes, he looked pretty small compared to his friend. That, or his friend was freakishly tall.

All of this played havoc with the theory he had been nursing since his travels began. After a hundred years, there was always the possibility that the Avatar had settled down and started a family. Perhaps it was to hide any new airbenders. The hood over the airbender's head gave a good cover at a distance.

So maybe it was not _the_ airbender he was looking for, but that did not exclude the possibility of him being close by.

He tracked their movement and scoped the land masses in that direction until he found a small village. Close enough for some children to go exploring and be home before anyone noticed their absence. And if the previous Avatar had already died, he could likely find a clue to the next one and hope they would not be in the Northern Water Tribe.

"Wake my uncle!" Zuko ordered. "I've found our next lead."

Now standing alone on the lookout, Zuko felt an odd sense of warmth. As quickly as it came, it subsided.

[-]

Sokka watched as Katara walked back to the village. Almost everyone had gathered when they had seen the flare launch. Gran-gran flinched when she saw it, no doubt her memories stirred by the familiar sight. His anger was slightly displaced when he saw Aang leaning on Katara's shoulder, just short of being dragged.

Running to his sister, he grabbed the boy.

"Now do you believe me?" Sokka asked. "He was signaling the Fire Navy, just like I told you."

"He didn't do it on purpose!" Katara bit back. "We were on that old ship and we accidentally set it off."

Gran-gran looked on disapprovingly, but held back on her lecture. The girl's mind was elsewhere, and even if she was not distracted, she already knew the dangers.

 _I hope your carelessness isn't the death of us all,_ Gran-gran thought.

"And would you quit with whole 'Aang's a spy'?" Katara continued. "He was trapped in that iceberg for almost a hundred years! He didn't even know that there was a war."

"Who knows how those fire throwers work. He could have been lying to you to get your trust."

Katara huffed. Sokka always was absurdly stubborn at the most inopportune times.

"What's his problem, anyways?" Sokka demanded.

"I don't know." Katara replied, concern etched into her voice. "We were on our way back when he just...collapsed."

Sokka sighed. "Get him out of the way! I need to ready our defenses."

Watching Sokka barking orders to the boys that were his "soldiers", Katara carried Aang into the house. How are they supposed to defend against the Fire Nation with one inexperienced warrior and a bunch of kids?

Once Aang was in a bed, Katara tried to ascertain what was wrong with him. He did not really have a fever, and his breathing had calmed from before. He had had the night and a better part of the morning for the aftereffects of the iceberg to catch up, unless he was hiding it really well. Thankfully, she did not have to wait long before Aang woke up.

"Where am I?" he asked groggily.

"Back at the village," Katara replied. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Groaning, Aang tried to rest on his elbows, but fell back down. Katara frowned sadly.

"You should rest for now." She said, pulling a blanket over him. "At least until we know what's happening."

Aang nodded and rolled over.

[-]

Zuko stood rigidly as his armor was put on. There was no telling what would await them at the village, or how the inhabitants would react when they saw a Fire Nation ship pull up. And if the Avatar was there, they could be walking into a disaster. Best to be prepared for the worst possible outcome.

The ship ground against the ice as it came to a graceless stop. Taking a deep breath as the ramp was lowered, Zuko led his men to whatever was in store for them.

 **A/N: Yay! Another chapter! A bit longer than the first, but that will vary depending one where I decide to cut, which is largely dependent on how much happens in a given chapter. Sometimes it makes for shorter chapters, sometimes it might mean it will be longer.**

 **I am working on a rough outline, which will hopefully lead to chapters being posted much more quickly. So far, I have the major points I need to hit all the way through Book 3, but it is still a work in progress.**

 **Until next time!**


	3. Close Calls

The sight that met Zuko's landing party was more than slightly underwhelming. All that was before him was a slipshod village inhabited solely by women and children, save for the boy, maybe the same age as Zuko, charging at them, club in hand.

Kicking the weapon from the warrior's hand, Zuko kicked him off the ramp. _If that's they best they have, this could be easier than I thought,_ Zuko thought.

"Where are you hiding him?" Zuko demanded.

The villagers flinched at his tone and shifted uneasily, but otherwise remained silent.

 _Great,_ Zuko thought bitterly.

Looking to the oldest member of the tribe, Zuko pulled her away from the crowd. Prop in hand, Zuko held the old woman in front of him.

"He should be about this old." He reiterated. "Master of all four elements."

Still no response.

"If he isn't here, I will take any information you might have on his whereabouts. Once I have the information, I will be on my way with no further harm to your village. And don't think about lying to me; I know that there is an airbender in your village."

A scream from behind had Zuko ducking under a rather hefty swing from a club. Rolling the boy over his shoulder, he was about to demand him to stop. Despite his annoyance at the warrior's repeated attempts at attacking, Zuko admired the determination. He did not, however, appreciate having sharpened bone and metal being hurtled at him.

A young boy tossed the warrior a spear, and once again the warrior attacked. Reaching the end of his patience, Zuko broke the tip of the spear. Wrenching the weapon from the warrior's hands, Zuo proceeded to break it down further and whack the remains against his opponent's head for added effect. He almost missed the warrior flinging a piece of metal at him.

Watching the weapon go flying away, Zuko refocused on his adversary. Before he could do anything else, he was nearly sent stumbling forward by a _thunck_ against the back of his helm. Resting on the ground, not too far from its owner was a boomerang.

Furious, Zuko formed a pair of fire daggers.

"Stop!" someone shouted.

"Aang, no!" another cried.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko saw a boy with a staff stumbling forward with a girl trailing after him. As the boy got up, his hood fell back, revealing an arrow tattoo on his head. A master airbender, if Zuko recalled his readings correctly. _And at his age…_

"If I go with you," the boy gasped "Will leave them alone?"

Zuko narrowed his eyes at the boy, but nodded.

 _This is way too easy,_ he thought as his men secured the prisoner.

The girl protested, but Aang was able to placate her.

"Bring us out of port." Zuko commanded. "We'll linger here for the duration of the interrogation."

Once on the main deck, he passed the staff to his uncle, who then passed it off to another to take to Zuko's chambers.

Zuko looked at the boy. Even without the coat, the airbender looked smaller than he expected. The arrow tattoos were the sign of a master, but he looked rather young to have attained that achievement. What surprised him more were the airbender clothes he was wearing underneath the Water Tribe garb. Surely someone trying to keep their presence hidden would not doing something like that.

Exhaling sharply, Zuko gave out his orders.

"Take the airbender below decks; I'll will be down shortly. And take his staff to my chambers. If he is cooperative, he will get it back."

The airbender glanced over his shoulder upon hearing this, causing Zuko to smile internally. He would interrogate boy soon enough, but with some revisions to his initial picture, he needed to make sure he had a solid line of questions. Maybe consulting with Uncle Iroh would help, provided he did not go on a chain of anecdotes and pump the kid with tea until he passed out. While pondering, Zuko found himself sliding face-first across the deck with a blast of wind.

Rolling onto his back, Zuko saw the airbender slapping the crew aside with quick thrusts of his hands, making for the command tower. The boy had being playing pigeon-possum, or had regained his strength absurdly fast, and was now sending his guards sprawling. Fire balls were deflected by quick gusts of wind, or missed entirely as the boy weaved through his men into ship.

Chasing after him, he could hear slamming bulkheads interspersed with a blast of fire. As he got close to his own chambers, he saw the airbender dashing out, staff in hand. Pressing himself forward as fast as he could, Zuko struggled to keep up with the kid. When he got to the bridge, he nearly screamed as the boy leaped from the balcony.

Zuko jumped after the airbender, grabbing his leg and bringing them both down. The airbender cushioned their fall, but quickly jumped back to his feet in order to make another escape attempt.

With a shout, Zuko thrust both of his fists forward in rapid, alternating succession, firing a barrage of fireballs that forced airbender to defend rather than flee. The staff spun away the fireballs, but each one forced the boy to edge away and spin his staff faster until it spun away from his hands.

His target now standing at the edge, Zuko fired another blast of fire. A dip in the cold would be sufficient to subdue any further escape attempts.

What he did not expect was a blast of concussive air to throw him back.

Jumping back to his feet, Zuko saw the airbender sprawled against the side railing, groaning. Zuko stalked towards his prisoner when a loud growling sound drew his attention upward.

A massive sky bison came bearing down on them, sweeping Zuko's men aside with a sweep of its tail. Thankfully, some of the firebenders were able to get off a few shots to ward it off.

The momentary distraction had been enough for the airbender to get away from the edge. Gritting his teeth, Zuko fire kicked. Not much, but it did the job in keeping the boy away from his staff.

Hopping in the air, the airbender swirled his hand around and fell back onto a current of air, practically rolling around the deck as he knocked the soldiers aside. As he bore down on prince, Zuko swept his foot underneath the airbender, disrupting the ball of air he was balancing on, sending him careening into the deck and over the edge. Before Zuko could peer over the side, he felt a sudden tug against his chest, this time debilitating him to the point of dragging him to his knees.

The airbender flew above the ship on a spout of water. Landing on the deck, he swept all the visible crew aside. Only one person should be able to bend more than one element.

"It's the Avatar!" Zuko shouted, just the wave of water exploded in front of him, slamming him back down.

After a bit of stumbling, the Avatar threw his glider in the air and jumped after it, gliding to the sky bison as it passed overhead again. The firebenders in the crew fire a few shot after them, but failed to come anywhere close.

Zuko slammed his fist against the floor.

 _We had him!_ Zuko thought angrily. _We had him and we lost him!_

Uncle ran to him, picking his nephew up. Calming himself, Zuko nearly smiled, his anger displaced by a strange joy. It was no longer an aimless, hopeless search. It was now a hunt. And now he knew how to track his prey.

[-]

Aang groaned, sprawled out in Appa's saddle.

"What's wrong with him now?" Sokka asked.

Katara sat next to Aang, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"He seems drained." She answered. "I don't know what we can do for that besides let him rest."

"That's great. I have no idea where we're supposed to go and the one who does needs a nap. This is not how I wanted today to go."

"Just find fly us north until we can find a place to make camp. We'll have to wait until he recovers."

[-]

It had been several days since the incident with the Avatar. Zuko had kept the ship running as hard as he could run it. It was not until an all too familiar alarm of a leak on the boat that demanded they find a place to stop, which brought them to a harbor where dozens of warships were at port, each larger in size and in much better condition than his own, newer models that had been put into service within the last decade or so. From the emblems, Zuko guessed they belonged to a certain smug naval officer.

Bringing his ship to dock, Zuko saw the man approach the ship with his guards. When the ramp dropped, Zhao walked unto to the ship, smug as Zuko remembered.

"Captain Zhao." Zuko greeted in a low growl.

"It's Commander, now." Zhao corrected. He then turned to Iroh, giving a slight. "General Iroh. It is always a pleasure to welcome a great hero of our nation."

" _Retired_ general." Iroh said, bowing back.

Zhao smirked.

"The Firelord's brother and son are always welcome guests anytime." He said with a veneer of politeness. "What brings you to my corner of the world?"

"We need to restock supplies and do some minor patchwork."

"It looks like you've had some interesting travels."

"We had an encounter with the Southern Water tribe." Zuko answered. "Some of their warriors attacked us."

"I highly doubt that some simple water savages could have done this much damage," said Zhao. "But I guess it's understandable considering a boy was in charge."

Zuko scowled at the jab. He needed to take the wind from the man's sails.

"The problem were the waterbenders."

"Waterbenders?" Zhao asked, incredulous. "The waterbenders of the Southern Water Tribe were wiped out. The last one in hiding was brought down years ago. Clearly, you're embellishing the story to cover your own failings."

Zuko narrowed his eyes.

"I don't need you to believe me." He hissed after a moment. "All I need is to resupply, patch up my ship, and then I'll be out of your hair. Is that what you want?"

Zhao stared for a moment, then smiled.

"How about drinks?" he asked.

"I think I'll pass." Zuko growled, turning to walk away.

"Prince Zuko," Iroh barked, firmly grasping his nephew's shoulder. "Show Commander Zhao your respect!"

That was the last thing Zuko really wanted to show the pretentious suck-up, but as a prince, he was expected to show some decorum. And if he wanted to be Firelord in the future, it would be best to show a measure of respect to those serving him, regardless of whether he liked them or not.

"Very well." Zuko said through clenched teeth.

Iroh turned to Zhao, smiling. "Do you have ginseng tea?" He asked. "It's my favorite."

Still furious, Zuko followed the two men, flaring his body heat and wisps of flame from his hands.

[-]

Everything felt strange when Aang led Appa to the Southern Air Temple. Both Katara and Sokka were impressed, though Sokka's reaction was subdued do to the mistake of using jerky as kindling for last night's fire.

Melancholy abounded when looking at the empty spaces and silent corridors. Wind cut around the towers and cliffs, eerily howling where there was once laughter and noises from the various animals that inhabited the temple. It was difficult to keep standing at times, though Aang was sure that was mostly unrelated. He kept standing tall with a smile, tightening his clothes around himself. He did not want to worry his friends.

Even when they came upon the airball, he did not feel like playing.

 _Just keep smiling,_ Aang repeatedly thought to himself.

Shaking his head and slapping himself on the cheeks, he turned to Katara and Sokka.

"Come on!" he said, mustering as much enthusiasm as he could. "We have a whole temple to explore!"

The first stop they made was in front of Monk Gyatso. For a moment, the weariness left Aang's shoulders as he told the siblings about his mentor and father-figure.

[-]

Zuko stomped around the tent that Zhao had let him have in preparation for their Agni Kai. Zhao had been sneaky in getting his men to interrogate Zuko's crew while he had kept him and Iroh distracted with tea and small talk. He had seen that coming, but had fallen into Zhao's rather obvious trap.

Iroh was clearly worried, but it was not as if Zuko had forgotten his last Agni Kai. Not the scar, his exile, and especially not his father's disappointment. He had vowed it would be different. He had already faced his father, and spent the years since preparing to face the Avatar. He almost relished the thought of wiping the smug grin of Zhao's face.

Downing the last of a cup of tea, Iroh stood up.

"It's time." He said grimly.

"I have no intention of losing." Zuko replied.

Throwing the tent flap open, the two stepped into the falling dusk.

[-]

Completing the tour of the temple, Aang led his friends to the Air Temple sanctuary. Today, he would find who his promised guide would be.

"But Aang," Katara reasoned. "No one could have survived a hundred years."

"I survived that long in the iceberg." Aang countered.

"Good point."

"And whoever's in there probably has food." Sokka added. "Please be meat."

Heedless of any other reasoning, Aang took his stance and began channeling a current of air into the openings, and one by one, the locks popped open. The doors swung inward, revealing the darkened sanctuary. Stone statues spiraled out from the center.

"Statues?!" Sokka protested. "Where's the meat?"

Aang ignored the complaints, weaving between the statues until he stood in front of the statue of an elderly man in Fire Nation robes. Even carved from stone, the long dead man stared back at Aang. Images flashed through his mind, of the South Pole and its people fending against the Fire Nation, of some battlefield, men in green and brown uniforms of the Earth Kingdom army littering the ground, clothes turned red with blood. As horrifying as those visions were, the one that _hurt_ the most was one where he was fighting a bare-chested man with thick sideburns, flinging fire at him while he responded in kind.

This one lingered, dragging on. Aang realized he was looking through the eyes of someone else, and that person was without a doubt a firebender, locked in a duel the man. The opponent was ferocious in his attacks, but still he lost when his feet were knocked from underneath him. Standing over his opponent, Aang worried if he was about to finish him off. The man taunted him. "Your father raised a coward!." He declared. Aang could not help but feel a sharp sting to those words. When he brought his fist down, fire wreathing around it, Aang felt his being contort as his mind returned to the present.

Gasping, Aang collapsed to his knees, Katara and Sokka rushing to his side, something he was extremely grateful for. Aang could finally put a finger on what was wrong.

It felt like he was dead.

[-]

Zuko walked away from Zhao. He had made his point. That did not mean he was going to let his guard down with a potentially enraged firebender at his back.

Before he could turn to deliver a counter-strike, Iroh caught Zhao's foot, squelching his fire and throwing him back with far more force than would be normally expected for a man of his build.

"No, Prince Zuko!" Iroh shouted, holding his nephew back. "Do not taint your victory."

Zuko's thoughts broiled as his uncle delivered a scathing lecture to the sprawled out commander. He had wanted to kill Zhao, one of his own countrymen. If Iroh had not been there, he probably- no, he would have killed him. No matter what he thought about Zhao, Zuko did not want to sink to those depths. And it had come all too close.

Depending on how Zhao reacted to being defeated by someone several years his junior, he would either set sail within the hour, or begin at first light the following morning. From here on, it would be a race to see who could capture the Avatar first.

The walk back to the ship was in silence, but Zuko still gave has uncle a small smile. He only picked up pieces of the lecture, but Iroh's support was appreciated.

 **A/N: I have gone back and tweaked chapter one (not much, mind you, but it did clean up some issues). The first book is now titled** _ **Change**_ **. Go back to Iroh's lecture on the elements in A:TLA season two if you don't understand.**


	4. Clash on Kyoshi Island

_Everything is burning. The temples and the monks within, their sky bison companions, refusing the leave their sides. Most of the lemurs scatter, but some stay behind and are consumed by the intense blaze. Everything that he held dear, dead and gone years before he could return to apologize_

 _Glints of red marched through the temple; outsiders. Interlopers come to lay waste to-_

[-]

Aang woke up, gasping, he was greeted with a fuzzy face sticking in front of his own. Two green eyes stood out from the flying lemur's face. Sitting up, he found Sokka feasting on assorted fruits that had not been there the night before.

"Hey, buddy." Aang said. "What are you doing here?"

"I found him this morning," said Sokka, shoving a mouth full of food to one cheek. "Led me on a chase while I tried to catch him for breakfast until he got some food. We're cool now."

Joining Sokka, Aang saw the lemur pluck a peach from the boy's hand and glide over to his shoulder, happily munching on the stolen fruit.

"I guess we have a new addition to the family," said Aang. The lemur paused and looked at Aang before returning attention to his peach. "I think I'll call you Momo."

"How are you doing, Aang?"

Jumping to his feet, Aang made a show of warming himself up.

"Yup!" he replied. "Up and ready for the day."

Katara warmly smiled back, holding off on the questions she already knew the answers to. After his episode in the sanctuary, Aang had gone to explore the temple some more. The result had not been pretty.

" _I need to know if my people are gone," he had said. "Or find clues on where they might be if they aren't."_

" _Aang," Sokka began. "No one's probably been here for a century-"_

 _Katara elbowed her brother in the ribs._

" _We'll be there with you," she said, placing a reassuring hand on Aang's shoulder. He gave her a weak smile._

" _Thanks."_

 _Katara and Sokka followed him back to the temple grounds. They had expected more desolate corridors, but there were surprisingly few things left behind. It was as if someone had swept the place clean before leaving. A hope of sorts, until they found the remains of firebenders. Whoever had resisted had clearly given them a fight and had left a trail of bodies. The trail eventually led to a rather large pile of his cohorts' remains, surrounding an airbender. It took a second for Aang to recognize his mentor and father-figure._

" _Gyasto," Aang choked out. Katara and Sokka caught him as he sank to his knees, holding him in an embrace as he wept._

" _Don't try to hold it in," said Katara as she rubbed circles along his back._

" _I was seeing…visions. It was stupid to keep hoping to find my people."_

" _It's never foolish to hope."_

 _Aang looked only half-convinced. Still, he managed to stand and walk over to Gyatso's remains. He bowed in respect, then took the man's amulet, the thread holding the beads together brittle from the years of weathering._

" _I suppose some of them could have survived," said Aang, a measure of levity returning to his voice. "We'll just have to keep looking."_

Katara sighed. Faking it or not, he was still moving. With all that had happened, and was still happening, it was the most that could be expected at this point.

Climbing onto the saddle, they left the Southern Air Temple. Aang and Momo watched as their home shrank from view. Absently noticed the siblings noted thickening fuzz on Aang's scalp.

[-]

Zuko fidgeted, or as much as he would allow himself to fidget. It had been some time since his duel with Zhao. The commander had undoubtedly gathered his entire fleet in order to capture the Avatar, and it would not take the grapevine long to spread the word.

Uncle Iroh had just informed him of the Avatar's whereabouts, or rather, the lack thereof. The boy's trail was erratic and confusing, often overlapping and looping into previous sightings. Intentional or not, the obfuscation had served its purpose: the trail had gone cold. Which was why they were making for the nearest port town.

Intentional or not, the Avatar would eventually slip up, but that was not something Zuko was of a mind to do. Not when some many others would be after him. Zuko needed a lead, and soon.

He returned to his chambers, the candles still lit from the breathing exercises he had been conducting before the interruption. The meditative nature of the exercise allowed him to clear his head somewhat. Still, his imagination jumped to the worst conclusions possible, specifically, someone else successfully bringing the Avatar to the Fire Nation before he did.

[-]

Sokka looked up from the map.

"You have no idea where you're going, do you?" he questioned.

"I know it's near water," Aang chirped.

Sokka peered over the edge of the saddle.

"…I guess we're that means we're getting close,"

Flying a bit further on, a little spot of land crept up on the horizon.

"There it is!" Aang excitedly proclaimed.

"Really, 'cause I thought you've said that once before."

Once they had landed on a beach overlooking the harbor, they hopped off and stretched their legs. Aang ran to the shore, scoping out the water.

"We really should be getting more travel time in before making camp." Sokka said to Katara. "At this rate, we won't get to the North Pole until spring."

"Just give him some time." Katara replied.

At that moment, an elephant koi broke the surface of the water, jumping high into the air.

"That's why we're here," said Aang. "I'm going to ride one."

Aang threw off his outer layers of clothing and jumped into the water and swam towards the school of massive fish.

"Katara, are you sure we should be letting him do that?" Sokka asked. "It's gotta be freezing."

"If it makes him happy, even for a little while, I think we should let him do it. He's been through a lot, and it's tough seeing him depressed."

"Just saying. Hypothermia. And-I don't think Appa should be eating that."

With that, Sokka ran to tend to Appa's unadvised addition to his diet, while Katara kept an eye on Aang. He maintained his hold on the fish's fin as it jumped and dove. The elephant koi then dispersed, some being picked off, leaving a confused Aang. Confusion followed promptly by terror a large sea serpent rose for the water. A blast of water nearly hit Aang as he ran across the surface of the water back to shore, at which point the beast returned to its habitat without further incident. More excitement than Aang had planned. They then retreated further inland.

That's when the locals decided to jump them.

[-]

Zuko was ecstatic. Apparently, the Avatar had been sighted on Kyoshi Island and the rumor mill had coughed up this news to him earlier that morning. A quick look at the map indicated that the place in question was actually fairly close. And from what he understood, the news only a day or two old.

"Take us out, helmsmen," Zuko ordered.

[-]

After the initial hostility from the locals and being told that Aang was the Avatar, they had been given hero's welcome. An upturn in spirits had everyone cleaning the town, and even polishing up Avatar Kyoshi's statue up. The visage of one of his predecessors was practically shining, and they had not finished yet. It still felt wrong.

Aang was twelve, and never before had he felt so drained on a regular basis. He fell asleep at all hours and slept long when he did. He could summon bursts of energy, but it wore off in a hurry and then it was back to taking a nap. He had hid it well so far, but it would not be long before the charade collapsed, and he still did not know what the cause was. Or at least, not exactly. He had some ideas, but there was no way to truly know. All he could do was wait and see.

Katara's hand waving in front of his face drew his attention to the present.

"Aang?" she asked. "You kind of zoned out there."

"Just thinking," he replied. He grabbed one of the pastries and stuffed it into his mouth. The buffet that had been laid out for them was sparsely touched, mostly by efforts from Momo. Sokka was sulking in the corner, and Katara was still apprehensive about using the Avatar's reputation.

Aang's attempts at getting Sokka to join in on the feasting was thwarted by the boy's wounded pride. Evidently, getting his butt kicked by a bunch of girls, as Katara had put it, had been more than a little humiliating. Best as Aang could tell, they were quite skilled, and girls could be pretty strong, too. Plenty of past Avatars had been women, the women at the Eastern Air Temple had to be pretty strong to raise the sky bison. Katara was pretty strong herself, with an emphasis on the pretty. Being a self-taught waterbender could not have been easy, and if that were an indicator, she could be a master in no time.

Feeling tired, Aang slumped over the table and slipped into a dreamless sleep. He was woken by Katara shaking his shoulders.

"Aang, wake up," she whispered worryingly.

"Whuh…?" Aang groaned. "How long did I sleep?"

"About a day. Come on, Aang. We need to leave. A Fire Nation just showed up."

Now awake, Aang sat up.

"Appa!"

"Don't worry. The villagers are getting him ready, but we need to find Sokka and leave fast."

[-]

The ramp dropped, allowing the raiding party to disembark. Getting his bearings, Zuko guided his rhino to the village, and the others promptly fell in behind him.

"Remember, I want the Avatar alive." Zuko commanded. It was probably an unnecessary command, but it would not do to be careless. There was too much at stake.

Following the narrow path into the village, Zuko and his part were met with a virtual ghost town. The people of the village had cleared out the streets and had withdrawn into their houses, peeking out windows to see the interlopers as they approached. Zuko noted the shadows moving between the dwellings.

 _They're preparing an ambush,_ Zuko thought. _But where?_

Moving through the village,Zuko brought his company to a halt. It was clear that they were not welcome here, but it was not his job to conquer the place. It was time to try a different approach.

"I would rather have a civil conversation instead of going house to house to find what I'm looking for," he shouted. "Perhaps you can help me with that. Where's the Avatar?"

Jumping from the roofs, a group of female warriors set upon his party with vigor, taking down the firebenders first; a wise strategy, both effective and annoying. The warriors then moved to the rest of the soldiers, throwing them from their mounts. Through the chaos, one of them sprinted towards him, dodging the blasts of fire he threw her way, then jumping up to take Zuko down.

 _Oh no, you don't._

Pulling the reins to the side, Zuko had the rhino turn, allowing the beast's instincts to take over and swat the girl aside. Zuko prepared to finish her off, when another warrior showed up, deflecting a fire thrust with a fan.

 _Is that a guy? I thought they were all girls._

Before Zuko could fully register the thought, another warrior jumped up behind him and pulled him off the rhino. Now on the ground, the three warriors surrounded.

Kicking out a stream of fire, Zuko spun around, knocking all of them back. Looking down the road, he could see his men holding off the other warriors, though it was at a standstill. Still, there was no sign of the Avatar.

"Where are you, Avatar?" Zuko shouted. "I know you're here, and you can't keep hiding behind your bunch of girls."

"I know," Aang replied.

Zuko spun and found his quarry standing before him.

"Finally."

Jumping up, Zuko flew to his target with a roar. The Avatar spun out of the way, letting Zuko stumble a little, before they repeated the process. The boy continually weaved around his attacks, jumping behind him and redirecting his blows.

 _Let's change things up,_ Zuko thought, savagely.

Zuko slammed his hand to the ground, fire spread across the ground in an omnidirectional blast, forcing the Avatar into the air.

Quick as the boy was, he was not quite good enough to fly and fight, which Zuko capitalized on. But instead of hitting Aang, Zuko found himself being knocked back, his attack exploding in his face. He squelched the flames before the got out of control and threw another fireball at the Avatar.

Laying on the ground, Zuko saw the Avatar fly up to his sky bison. Zuko jumped back to his feet, but refrained from trying to blast the Avatar down.

"Get back to the ship." Zuko ordered. "Don't lose sight of them!" His men retreated in good order, retrieving the rhinos along the way back.

They were almost back to the ship when a large serpentine sea creature burst from the lake's surface, the Avatar standing on its nose. It took a breath and then sprayed a torrent of water onto the town, incidentally catching Zuko and his men in the stream.

Shrugging off the occurrence, Zuko spurred his rhino forward. The chase was on once again.

 **A/N: Aangst. *ba-dum-tiss* Sorry-not-sorry, but I had to do that (*psst* Not really).**

… **Yeah, this chapter took a bit longer than I was originally expecting. Real Life tends to do things like that. Even the** _ **Apocalyptian Saga**_ **got pushed to the backburner for a while.**

 **On another note: as you can see, I spent a bit more time with Aang for this chapter. Yes, I know Aang is being abnormally depressed, and seems to flip through phases of depression and acting like a squirrel on coffee. If you remember the aftereffects some experience having their bending taken away, this is something like that. Add that to the fact that he has learned of the genocide of his people and his physiology being messed up, both because of the iceberg and the other factors present in this story, you have the recipe of one messed up kid. He's twelve. Wise or not, he is going to be left with some issues. He'll get better with time, but it is going to be something of a long road.**

 **Something to remember: even though they are traveling to pretty much the same places, I am trying to have it happen differently. If something happens pretty much the same way as it does in canon, I am probably going to gloss/skip over it.**

 **I would like to skip to the interesting bits, but we must follow protocol.**


	5. Bend to Break

Rending

Katara leaned on the side of Appa's saddle, looking out to the open sky in thought.

Aang's spirits had seen a marked improvement after Omashu, even if the chain of events that had transpired had been more than a little uncomfortable for pretty much everyone else. The King of Omashu happened to be an old friend of Aang's from his life before the iceberg, though Aang did not immediately recognize him, nor did Bumi tell them until _after_ Aang had cleared what looked to be a demented game for the king's own amusement. The tears that had been shed when he realized that the crazy old man who had been testing him was that same friend were of earnest joy.

The next quirk of their journey was encountered soon after. They had come across an earthbender named Haru, who had been hiding his talents from the Fire Nation that had taken over his town. An incident had inadvertently revealed this fact to the local garrison and had resulted in him being dragged off to prison out at sea. It had been partially her fault, imploring Haru to save the man, so she had cobbled together a rescue plan: getting herself arrested as an "earthbender".

Initially, it had gone fairly well. After her capture, she had found the prison and Aang had tailed the transport, but she could not just take Haru and his father. Sokka was against staying, but he relented when he realized his sister was determined to see her plan through, regardless of how crazy it was.

Being trapped on an entirely metal structure far from their element had the earthbenders' spirits broken, so they had to remedy that first. Aang clogged every vent except the one right under the prison yard, blasting a mound of coal up with his airbending.

Initially, the prisoners had done nothing. Even the guards had dismissed her. Haru, on the other hand, was still very much defiant, and attacked the warden himself. It had almost ended badly, but the imminent threat to his son got Haru's father to stand up to the guards, and the others followed suit soon after. When the earthbenders had thrown the guards off the deck of the prison into the sea, they made their escape.

It felt good freeing all those people, and being able to help had also lifted Aang's mood, in fact he was almost happy, though sadness could still be seen in his eyes. Even Sokka was pretty stoked about the success. More earthbenders free meant that there were more people to stand against the Fire Nation.

She just wished she had not lost her mother's necklace along the way. There was no way she was chancing running headlong into the Fire Nation troops that were still present just to retrieve it, no matter how much it pained her to lose such a precious thing.

[-]

Zuko resisted the urge to sigh when he inspected the prison rig.

 _This is quite the mess,_ he thought. Bits of coal littered the prison yard on the rig, dents and scuffs marking the metal surface as a testament to the scale of the riot. The gaping hole that had once been the gate and the missing ships painted a rather interesting picture. An exceedingly embarrassing one for the man in charge.

According to the prison guards they had managed to fish out of the water, some kids had infiltrated the prison and clogged some of the vents, which forced an abundance of ammunition for the prisoners to make their escape.

Actually, what they had initially said was that an elite team of Earth Kingdom soldiers had broken into the place and freed all the captives, but immediately divulged the truth when Zuko began asking for details.

The identities of the intruders: two Water Tribe youths, a boy and a girl, and a boy with arrow tattoos. Just who he was looking for.

Zuko had been falling behind somewhat. Moving into warmer waters has playing all kinds of havoc on the patches that the crew had made on the ship before heading into the Antarctic waters. That meant stopping and reapplying the fixes and double checking their work before setting off again.

"It's better than sinking." Iroh reminded him.

"I'm aware of that, uncle." Zuko growled. "And now we're back on track."

"Indeed, Prince Zuko."

"Get everyone back on the ship. We'll finish our intelligence gathering on the way back to shore."

Zuko began to walk back to the ship when a glint in the fading sunlight caught his eye.

"What's this?" he pondered aloud. The ribbons of the pendant fluttered in the sea breeze A Water Tribe betrothal necklace, if he remembered correctly. Definitely not left behind by one of the intended prisoners. He squatted down over the piece of jewelry and picked it off the ground. It could be useful later.

[-]

 _What am I doing here?_ Aang thought angrily.

Earlier that day, they had flown over a burned down forest. Not long after landing, they had been approached by a man whose village was under attack by a spirit. The spirit, Hei Bai, would come and kidnap a village each night, and the destruction it left in its wake became more pronounced the closer it got to the winter solstice.

He had been waiting for that same spirit monster, hoping that he would know what to do when the time came. No one had exactly, or even remotely taught him how to be the "Great Bridge between Worlds", as the old man had put it.

At least he did not have to wait very long to find out.

The spirit arrived just after sundown, just like the village elder had said. Aang's initial efforts yielded no results. And then Sokka decided to come out and help, gotten nabbed by the spirit, which then absconded with him back into the Spirit World, presumably where it was keeping everyone else it had kidnapped. Aang just so happened to have been close enough when the shift happened to be partially transported into the Spirit World himself, which left him in the predicament he was in now: sitting outside the village next to Katara without her even realizing it. Not that he wanted her to notice at the moment. He was still upset that he had not gotten Sokka or the other villagers back.

His attention was drawn upward to a growl from above. Just by listening, he knew it was not Appa. Not only could Appa not see Aang either, but the timbre of the growl was wrong. No, this was a dragon, and the dragon was looking right at him.

"You wouldn't happen to know where Sokka is, would you?" Aang asked hesitantly.

The majestic creature raised one of its whiskers and touched his forehead. Aang was then treated to a vision of a wizened old man, Roku, riding the dragon, which was red, instead of the ethereal blue it was now.

"You're Avatar's spirit animal guide! Like Appa is to me." Not entirely what Aang had expected when he had called out to Roku for help earlier. "I need to find my friend and I don't know how. Is there a way for me to speak to Avatar Roku?"

The dragon stooped low with a grunt as if to tell him to get on his back. Aang readily complied and was whisked away. They were moving fast! Faster than should be physically possible. They came upon a volcanic island, flying into and up a towering temple situated on the side. The dragon continued flying up to and through the ceiling, paying no heed to Aang's screaming.

Settling for a stop, Aang climbed off the dragon and saw the statue of his immediate predecessor. The stone visage of Avatar Roku looked grim, compared to the smiling man he had seen in the vision.

"I don't understand," Aang said. "This is just a statue of Roku."

The dragon touched his whisker against Aang's head, this time showing a blazing comet.

"Is that what Roku wanted to talk to me about? When can I talk to him?

The dragon leaned forward, letting a little beam of red light pass overhead, which struck just to the right of the statue. Aang was then presented another vision, the sun rising and falling, the light cycling along with it until it reached the red jewel on Roku's statue. When the vision ended, Aang looked down at the scripted on the floor.

Aang gasped in realization. "It's a calendar, and the light will reach Roku on the solstice! So, that's when I'll be able to speak to Roku?"

The dragon breathed what Aang took as a yes.

"But I can't wait that long! I need to save Sokka now!"

Once again, the dragon stooped down for Aang to climb on and flew out from the temple, depositing him back into his body, which was at the bear statue in the burned remains of the forest. He grabbed his glider and flew back to the village. It was going to be dark again soon.

His arrival was met with enthusiasm from Katara and Appa, which soon melted when she realized her brother was still missing. Before she could ask, the sun slipped under the horizon, ushering the spirit.

 _No time to mope now,_ Aang thought, and jumped in front of the spirit. His hand grazed its form, causing it to shrink back in apparent pain, showing its true form, a large panda.

"You're the spirit of the forest!"

[-]

Zuko had been in the process of meditating when he felt a tug at his chest. Had it happened anywhere else, he would have tried to shove the feeling away, but he was in the privacy of his chambers, and this was stronger than he had ever felt before. The breaking of focus blew the candles out, leaving the dim light of the lanterns to guide him to his bed.

Falling face first into his pillow, Zuko was assaulted with visions. A dragon. A comet. Agony. Despair and unbridled rage, both soothed by the image of an acorn.

Then black.

He was standing in a black room, nothing visible save for himself. In fact, he was not even sure if he was standing on solid ground. A scraping was heard, metal against granite, slowly approaching him. Turning to the noise, Zuko saw a figure of inky black, a shadow amongst shadows, only visible because of the blade it wielded, a monochromatic version of dual dao swords hanging in his room. The shadow stood there, leering at Zuko, its smiling breaking the black with white teeth all but shining, fangs bared like a beast before its meal. Then it took another step forward. Screeching could be faintly heard, though Zuko could not tell whether it was coming from the shadow or somewhere else.

Standing toe to toe with Zuko, the smiling shadow reached to Zuko's chest. Pain coursed through his person and a gasp died in his through when he saw the sword hilt protruding from his chest. Almost identical to the one that had been in the shadow's hand a moment before. And despite being buried to the hilt in his chest, Zuko found no blood, nor did he feel a particular wound, yet there was a pain still there.

The shadow's fingers brushed across the hilt, vibrating with anticipation.

"I've waited this long," a reverberating voice proclaimed, coming from all sides. "I can wait a little while longer."

Zuko shot up, falling off his bed. He was drenched in sweat, and a trickle of blood flowed from his nose and a taste of copper was in his dry mouth, as he had bitten himself rather hard. His jaw was numb from being clenched so tightly.

Climbing back onto his bed, he placed his head in his hands and wiped the beads of sweat back. He felt at his chest, the hilt now absent, along with the pain.

 _What was that?_

 **A/N: *GASP* what nefarious plot have I constructed around Zuko?! Keep reading and you'll find out. I plan to keep leaving clues and hints as much as possible.**

 **This chapter got drummed up in pretty much an afternoon (plus a little bit of evening). Things may or may not go this fast for the remainder of the book, because some major changes are not too far down the road.**

 **I know I'm working with Aang a bunch. The problem is that the changes have not all quite settled in for Zuko yet, not enough for him to notice…yet. Plus, Aang's perspective is both interesting and necessary, so the POV will keep switching between them for the near future.**

 **Also, because of a few shifts, the incident where Iroh gets captured by the earthbenders does not happen. A shame really. It was really funny watching Iroh pwn those guys while chained up, and it helped solidify the relationship between Zuko and Iroh. Alas, this is AU; not everything happens the same way, even if other events are similar. Plus, it would have been another rabbit trail I would have had to work into the narrative. Zuko and Iroh are as close as they are in canon, and we will leave it at that for now.**

 **One last thing: anytime you see an underlined, but not bold title, it means that a new arc has begun. That does not automatically mean a transition into another book (the subsequent books will be, in order, Substance and Freedom). The necessary changes have been implemented to chapter one.**


	6. Winter Solstice

Another Avatar sighting. Zuko had managed to catch a glimpse of the sky bison taking off in the early morning in great haste. Their previous location could potentially have clues on where they were going in such a hurry. He ordered some of his men to see where the Avatar went while he went to investigate.

The village had been trashed, hardly any building left unscathed from whatever had attacked the place. There were no signs of a battle, but people still occupied the place.

A creaking door caught Zuko's attention. A man walked out of a ruined house and turned to face the prince, recoiling in shock.

"Having trouble sleeping?" Zuko asked, as he shoved the man back into the house, breaking the door off its hinges. "Seen the Avatar lately?" Judging appearance, the man was not, nor had been, a soldier. And the quality of his clothes seemed to indicate a higher rank, a village leader, perhaps. Combine the two, and the man would not withhold the information for long. "Where is he going?" Zuko demanded. It took a minute, a threat to the village in particular, but the man finally answered.

"The Crescent Island," he replied mournfully.

Zuko's eyes widened, though it would have been hard to tell from the lighting. That was going into the Fire Nation. Surely he wasn't going gallivanting off to end the war in a single stroke? Avatar or not, he still needed to master all the elements, and unless he was a really fast learner, that had not happened yet. Sure, Zuko had seen the boy waterbend, but it was when he was glowing. He had never seen him do it since. Or show even any rudimentary skill in the other elements, always relying on air.

But why that particular island?

Zuko left the village behind. He would keep chasing the Avatar and ponder the why of his course along the way. Maybe he could capture him before he passed into Fire Nation waters and then head straight home.

He shook his head. It would not do to get ahead of himself like that.

Following the direction that his scouts had indicated, he made an educated guess the route the Avatar would be taking to Crescent Island. It was midafternoon when he caught sight of the sky bison. Uncle Iroh voiced his concerns at Zuko chasing the Avatar back into the homeland, but Zuko was more concerned about the possibility of the Avatar escaping to wreak havoc upon the Fire Nation, or someone else capturing him.

A single catapult was rather inadequate for an aerial target, but he had little choice in the matter. His uncle's complaints about the smell of the incendiary substance were tuned out as the shot was being lined up. He did not need to kill the Avatar, just wound the bison enough to bring it down for capture.

Lighting the missile, Zuko readied for the shot.

"On my mark…Fire!"

Despite its antiquity, the catapult launched the projectile at the sky bison, missing only because the beast banked to the side.

"Ready another shot!" Zuko ordered. He stopped short of lighting it when he saw ships on the horizon. His eyes widened at the realization. "A blockade." He murmured.

"Technically you are still in Earth Kingdom waters," said Iroh. "Turn back now and they cannot arrest you."

Zuko watched the sky bison, intently.

"He's not turning around," Zuko realized. Uncle Iroh picked up on what he was thinking.

"Please, Prince Zuko! If the Fire Nation captures you, there is nothing I can do! Do not follow the Avatar."

"I'm sorry, uncle." Zuko turned and shouted the command to run the blockade.

Soon, the horizon streaked with trails of smoke as a storm of catapult shots from the blockade flew at them, having missed their intended target entirely. Zuko cursed the commander who came up with that "brilliant" plan as the shots landed all around them. A single fireball grazed the back of the ship, inciting the engineer to a panic.

"Prince Zuko!" he cried. "Our engines are damaged. We need to stop and make repairs."

"Do not stop this ship," Zuko said firmly.

Another salvo flew at them, all landing harmlessly in the water. The sky bison kept moving forward, flying wildly through the flurry of fireballs.

"We're on a collision course," Iroh warned.

"We can make it," Zuko replied, though even he had his doubts. To his surprise, the closest ships were brought to a stop, slowing enough in time for Zuko to pass without incident. Looking up, the prince saw Zhao looking over the side.

 _Of course it was Zhao,_ Zuko thought scathingly. _Who else would unleash a firestorm like that with me on the other side?_

Yet Zhao did not move to apprehend him. He just stayed where he was, passing up a chance at revenge for his humiliation.

"What's his plan, uncle?" Zuko asked. "Why didn't Zhao arrest me?"

"Because he wants to follow you," Iroh answered. "He knows you'll lead him to the prize you're both after: the Avatar."

"If he wants to follow a trail of smoke, then that's exactly what I'll let him do."

The prince rode the ship's momentum as they drew closer to the island, then snuck out under the cover of smoke on a patrol boat. Uncle Iroh had looked doubtful, but there was no other choice, and it was better than leading Zhao straight to the Avatar.

Arriving at the Crescent Island, Zuko noted the hellish glow the volcanic island had under the setting sun. Whatever was the Avatar was trying to do would occur at sundown.

"Where did that come from?" Zuko wondered aloud.

Pulling up to the shore, he jumped out and secured the boat. He was not going to be thwarted by his boat drifting out to sea without him.

Already, Zuko could feel the heat from the lava flows. How anyone lived here on a constant basis eluded him. The next mystery was why no one greeted him at the door; a strange occurrence for the Fire Sages. Normally, at least one of them would be at the door, but judging by the shouts, it sounded like Avatar was in the temple, and the sages were trying to find him. It was rather disgraceful, really.

Zuko looked around, deciding to start his own investigation. The place was large enough and with few enough people that he did not have to try very hard to avoid being seen. There was no telling how they would react to finding a banished prince in their sanctum, and it was not something he was wanting to test. If all went well, they would be on hand when he secured the Avatar.

Creeping along the wall, a sound from behind had him spin to face a potential threat. He bit back a curse when his shoulder banged against a lantern. No one else was there, but he spotted a peculiar hole out of the corner of his eye, hidden by the lantern. Looking into the hole, Zuko decided to test a theory. He pressed his hand against the opening and set a burst of fire inside. A previously hidden door opened, giving him an idea where the Avatar was hiding.

Before, he thought the heat outside was bad. Inside the center of the tower was much worse, with active lava-flows. He wondered what it was like for anyone else without firebending to keep the heat at bay.

 _They're probably enjoying the heat for once,_ Zuko thought. _They_ are _from the South Pole after all._

He was little over halfway up when he heard an explosion, prompting him to forgo stealth as ran the rest of the way up. By the time he reached the top, he could hear the commotion happening outside the sanctuary.

 _Senile old fools. He's not inside, he's waiting for you to do the work for him._

The Avatar was focused more on the sanctuary door. A grievous lapse of situation awareness, but beneficial for Zuko in this case. When the Avatar's friends jumped the Fire Sages, he made his move. Springing from his hiding spot, he grabbed the boy, restraining his arms behind his back. His friends called for him, waiting for him to make a break for the sanctuary.

"The Avatar is coming with me," Zuko said. The brief opening was lost, and the Fire Sages turned the tables on the intruders. "Close the doors. Quickly!" As he dragged the Avatar to the stairs, the boy maneuvered around him and tried to shove him back with a gust of wind. To Zuko's surprise, he kept his balance, the air moving around him instead of sending him down a flight of stairs, allowing him to catch up in short order. The Great Fire Sage stepped in the way, but the Avatar jumped over his head, leaving the old man in Zuko's way.

"Move!" Zuko growled, elbowing the Sage aside. The doors were closing, and it was apparent that the Avatar would make the gap. Bracing himself, Zuko jumped and slid in after the Avatar did, barely avoiding having the jagged spikes catching his legs.

And then he was surrounded with light.

[-]

"It's good to see you, Aang. What took you so long?"

Aang was in awe, but quickly remembered himself, bowing in respect.

"I have something very important to tell you, Aang."

[-]

Katara and Sokka struggled against the chains.

"You really should think about some renovations on this place," said Sokka. "You could poke an eye out if you aren't careful."

"Silence!" the Great Sage barked, then directed his attention to Shyu. "Why did you help the Avatar?"

"Because it was once the sages' duty," Shyu replied. "It is still our duty."

Slow clapping approached from the far end of the room, along with an entourage of soldiers.

"What a moving, heartfelt performance," said Zhao, sarcastically. "I'm certain the Fire Lord will understand when you explain why you betrayed him."

"Commander Zhao," The Great Fire Sage greeted with a bow, palms pressed together.

"Where's Prince Zuko?"

"Inside the sanctuary, with the Avatar."

"No matter. They'll have to come out eventually."

[-]

"Not everything is as it should be, but you can still help things along. You are now a link in the chain, yet still among the living. Another is now the Avatar, and because this, both of you are out of balance. Sozin's Comet will return by the end of the summer. If balance is to be restored, and the world to continue, you must find the new Avatar, help them master the four elements, and put a stop to Fire Lord Ozai." Roku smiled. "I have a feeling that you will not have to look too far for your successor."

It was almost as he was looking at someone specific. Aang looked around the space. No one else was there, but…

"But what if I fail?" Aang asked. "What if I have more questions?"

"You are not alone, Aang. Others will be there to help you in your journey. And I am a part of you. When you need to talk to me again, you will find a way." A vision of firebenders waiting outside the sanctuary filled Aang's mind. "A great danger awaits you at the temple. I can help you face the threat. But only if you are ready.

Closing his eyes, Aang took a deep breath. When his eyes opened, the glowed with a brilliant blue light, as did his arrow tattoos.

"I'm ready."

[-]

Zuko felt the vision end. Looking down, he saw that he was back in his own body again. Looking at everything from the Avatar's perspective was disorienting as it was informative. Approaching the door, Zuko saw the Avatar was clearing a way out.

Gritting his teeth, Zuko ran for the staircase he had come up. Trying to capture the Avatar at this point would be impossible. The tugging on his chest was unbearable, and the Avatar was at his peak. And his problems had apparently doubled.

 _Two Avatars?_ Zuko thought. _No, think about that later when you aren't about to be swimming in lava._ Struggling to his feet, he ran out from behind the Avatar's spectral form. _Roku._ With everyone else gone or distracted, Zuko had a clear exit, which he took with great enthusiasm. Descending through the secret passages was almost impossible. Lava welled over the previous boundaries and it looked as if more was rising, jetting straight to the top. The breath of fresh air when he left was invigorating, but he could not stop just yet.

The boat was just where he had left it, having been missed or ignored by Zhao. Climbing aboard, he left before anyone could spot him, leaving the erupting volcano behind him

"It is surprising that you were able to do that," someone said.

Zuko wheeled around, ready for a fight. Leaning against the side of the boat, the traitorous Fire Sage looked at him with interest.

"What do you want?" Zuko demanded.

"To leave this place," the Sage replied. "Being on the island right now would be bad for one's health."

Zuko paused at his casual tone. "What's to stop me from turning you over?"

"Both of us are unwelcome in our homeland. If you were to try to turn me over, at least to anyone who would care, your own life would be forfeit, just as much as mine is now."

"…Fine," Zuko said, sharply.

Now he would have another cryptic old man on the ship.

 _Perfect,_ Zuko thought dryly.

 **A/N: Hello, peoples! Forgive me if the updating slows a bit (more than usual anyways).**

 **Much of what I have been doing lately has been outlining, some of which has been for this story, most of which has been for other stories (read: future projects). This has had the semi-unfortunate effect of delaying the writing of chapters for the immediate. I say "semi-unfortunate" because with better outlines, the writing process will be faster in the future.**

 **As per usual, review and recommend as you please.**


	7. The Calm

Zuko mulled his thoughts over a cup of cooling tea. Getting Shyu onto the ship without anyone noticing had been something of an exercise. On the plus side, Uncle Iroh had something of an extra conversational partner, which helped keep them both out of Zuko's hair, unless both decided to talk to him in private.

 _Meddlesome old men,_ Zuko thought. He respected both of them, for their experience and wisdom, but the endless prattle, no matter how endearing or relevant, still grew dull after a time. Zuko shook his head. That was not his biggest problem. Not even close.

A second Avatar. That had never occurred at any point in recorded history as far as he knew.

Roku had mentioned that Aang would not have to look far. Either it was one of his companions, or it would be someone they encountered in the near future. Both possibilities were rather annoying. If it were the latter, Zuko had not even the foggiest of ideas as to who it might be or how to get to them first.

The former was just as troublesome, as the Avatar's cohort would soon be informed of their identity, making capture much more difficult. Impossible, if they decided to split up for safety. Then again, they seemed to be traveling everywhere together, and they might very well remain so for the near future.

If he were to hazard a guess, it would be the Water Tribe girl. She was a bender. Unskilled maybe, but a bender nonetheless. From what Zuko had read, most of the past Avatars were well versed and skilled in their native art, but the girl seemed barely competent in it. Though the fact that the last known waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe was dead and gone years ago might have played a significant factor.

 _Something to think about._

Zuko slammed back the tea and walked out onto the deck. He needed to burn off some stress. A sparring match should do the trick.

[-]

Aang fidgeted. Everything he had learned from Roku was confusing and disturbing. While he had suspected that he was no longer the Avatar, what had surprised him was that there were essentially two Avatars working at the same time.

Sokka was quickly ruled out, which left one other that Aang knew of. He looked at Katara. She was someone in close proximity. Water was the next element in the cycle and from what he knew, the last Water Tribe Avatar had come from the north, so it was not far from the realms of possibility. Still, something felt…off. He could not put his finger on it though.

Still, it would be prudent to brush up on waterbending. Katara had already displayed some rudimentary abilities. Maybe that would help. One or both of them had to learn all the elements before the summer.

A realization struck Aang. This would be the first time he would be a full time teacher of airbending. Sure, he had passed some tricks to the other kids at the temple, but he would be a teacher in every sense of the word. It helped warm him up, but he still kept the Water Tribe clothes on.

Looking at his reflection, Aang ran a hand through his hair. It had been a while since he had shaved it. It pretty much completely covered the arrow tattoos on his head. He had refrained from tending to it, mostly out of shame. All those years he had been absent had cost the world dearly. He did not want to get their hopes up over nothing. As it was, he had nearly ousted himself, or put himself in a position for the secret to get out. Only improbable strokes of luck had saved him from catastrophic failure.

He needed to figure out how to help Katara learn faster. If she was indeed the Avatar, she would have more ground to cover than he did.

[-]

Zuko was balancing his emotions between ecstatic and angry. He had stumbled upon a lead, to his grumbling gratitude of his uncle's shopping spree. Apparently a trio of Water Tribe kids had absconded with an expensive waterbending scroll. It helped gauge the progress that his quarry/quarries were making, but told little besides. He had struck a bargain with the pirates that had been robbed, a fact that Zuko found hilarious, and they had set off on what they gathered was the Avatar's trail. The prince kept that last bit of information to himself, letting the pirates believe whatever they wanted. It was far more risk than he wanted, and he imagined they would forget about the scroll as soon as they found out who he was really after.

As he suspected, he found one of them, the girl, training in the dark with the scroll next to the river. The pirates practically herded her to him.

"I'll protect you from the pirates," he said, grabbing the girl's arms. A mental cheer was followed by a silent curse. The boys were nowhere in sight.

Tying the girl to the tree, he interrogated her, which got practically nowhere. Making an educated guess, he offered the girl's necklace in exchange for information. That was when the pirates decided to interrupt, demanding the scroll.

Zuko's eye twitched.

"I wonder how much this scroll is really worth." Zuko mused ominously, holding a flame underneath the object. Seeing the panicked expression on the pirates, Zuko smirked triumphantly. "A lot, apparently. Now search the woods for the rest of them." Watching most of the pirates leave, he turned to his firebenders. "Be ready for a fight," he whispered.

Before long, the pirates returned with the boys. The airbender's scalp was looking rather shaggy. Between that and the Water Tribe clothes, Zuko held out hope that they had not figured out what was going on.

"Nice work," Zuko admitted.

The girl piped up "I'm sorry. This is my fault."

"No Katara, it isn't," the airbender replied.

"Actually, it kind of is," Uncle Iroh corrected.

"Hand the boys over," Zuko ordered.

"Give us the scroll," the pirate captain demanded. Zuko began to step forward when the older Water Tribe boy spoke up.

"You're really gonna hand over _the Avatar_ for a stupid piece of parchment?" he asked, incredulously.

The pirates looked at each other and at their prisoners. Zuko saw what the boy was trying.

"Don't listen to him, he's trying to turn us against each other!" The pirates ignored the prince, chattering with their prisoners and themselves.

"Keep the scroll;" the captain declared. "We can buy a hundred with the reward we'll get for the kid."

As the pirates turned to leave, Zuko narrowed his eyes.

"You'll regret breaking a deal with me," he growled.

The situation broke down into bedlam. The pirates used some smoke bombs and drew the firebenders in for a close up fight. The girl broke loose and it sounded as if the boys were not too far off from doing the same. Zuko secured the scroll and wheeled around to face the captain. Then the airbender and his friends stole the pirate ship, then the pirates stole _his_ boat. By the time he was able to catch up, both had pitched over the nearby waterfall…and the Avatar had escaped again on his bison.

"Well, there goes my boat," Zuko seethed.

Uncle Iroh ran up behind him, huffing and puffing. "Prince Zuko, you're really going to get a kick out of this. That lotus tile was in my sleeve the whole time!"

Zuko glared at his uncle. He snatched the tile and nearly chucked it as hard as he could. He stopped short, electing to slam it into the ground. Spinning on heels, he stomped off back to the ship. He did not want to add another stop for this trip.

[-]

Aang ruminated the last few days. The encounter with Jet and the Freedom Fighters had nearly ended in utter disaster. It was thanks to Sokka's thinking ahead and kindness that had saved the day. Even with the apologies, things had been tense. In hindsight, it was disheartening that they did not listen to him in the first place.

 **A/N: Before anyone asks, no, Katara is** _ **not**_ **the Avatar, but since both Aang and Zuko are lacking certain information, it is leading them to come to the wrong conclusions. I was not originally planning on this course of action, but it struck me as funny, so I went with it.**

 **Yes, that was an abrupt cut to a chapter. Yes, this is something of a short chapter. Yes, I have been skipping along through some episodes. We're coming close to a major point, probably my favorite from Book One (both in canon and in this fic), but there is plenty more I want to reach in this story and there quite a few things that we simply don't need to rehash again. The Jet episode was easily glossed over. We're also skipping the Great Divide completely (seriously, that episode did nothing. It should not even exist). The Storm episode is going to get a retrospective view.**

 **With that, I would like to mention that this fic has surpassed 2,000 hits. It easily surpasses my other two stories (Embers and the Apocalyptian Saga)** _ **combined**_ **. By a factor of ten. I'm not sure if it's the lower rating or the fact that this is an Avatar: TLA fic. *Sniff* Oh, well.**

 **Constructive criticism is always appreciated.**


	8. The Storm

Walls rose in the distance. Shadows and murk drifted around him. Trees wobbled and wisped, the ground itself felt insubstantial. The blade was where it had been before, hilt first in a bloodless wound.

 _"Run all you want. I'll be catching up to you very soon."_

As the walls began to crumble, Zuko woke up on the verge of screaming. He sought out a jug of water, his mouth dry from dehydration.

"What is happening to me?" he rasped.

[-]

Zuko sat cross-legged opposite from Shyu. The Fire Sages were supposed to be spiritual advisors to the people of the Fire Nation. If he was going to be stuck with the man for the time being, the prince figured he might as well get some use of his skills. The prince recounted his recent dreams. When he had finished, Shyu nodded understanding.

"These things happen when your spirit is unbalanced," the Fire Sage said.

"I have my fire breathing exercises," Zuko replied.

"They help with the physical symptoms, but not the source. You have to look within yourself to find the root. Then you can begin the process of healing."

 _Great,_ Zuko thought angrily. _More cryptic advice._

While he was thinking, a passing ship cast a shadow over theirs. Shyu stood and bowed, already familiar with what to do when in the presence of Fire Nation soldiers. Zuko went out to meet whoever the other ship sent.

Zuko's crew seemed oddly respectful since the storm. The repairs had gone smoothly enough that they would have been able to go after the Avatar if they had not lost his trail in the storm. Even now, the crew gave him a respectful inclination of the head as he passed, instead of the grudging passing greetings from before. Uncle Iroh had said something about people bonding over a stressful event. Zuko brushed the notion off. If the crew's morale and functionality had improved, he would not complain about the results.

The plank from the other craft settled onto their deck and the messenger and his escort marched straight to Zuko. The messenger quickly introduced himself and held out a poster promising a reward for information leading to the Avatar's capture.

"The search for the Avatar has been given prime importance," the messenger said. "Any information regarding the Avatar must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao."

"I have nothing to report," Zuko shot back, holding back a grimace at the news of Zhao's promotion. "Now get off my ship and let us pass."

"Admiral Zhao is not allowing ships in or out of the area."

Zuko stomped his foot down and fixed Zhao's men with a glare.

"Get off my ship!" he barked.

After Zhao's people had left, Zuko got ready for a sparring session before deciding to vent his frustration, flinging fire every which way.

"Is everything okay?" Iroh asked softly. "It's been almost an hour and you haven't given the crew an order."

"I don't care what they do," Zuko bit back.

"Don't give up hope yet. You can still find the Avatar before Zhao."

"How, uncle? With Zhao's resources, it's only a matter of time before he captures the Avatar." Zuko looked out to sea in the direction of the Fire Nation. "My honor, my throne, my country; I'm about to lose it all."

Iroh left his nephew in peace. He would sit him down once he had calmed down. As soon as the retired general was gone, Zuko's eyes refocused.

 _I_ can _capture the Avatar,_ Zuko thought, gathering his determination. Spinning on his toes, he headed to his quarters. Calling back the emotions from before, he projected the image of a man on the verge of losing. It would not do for anyone, even Uncle Iroh, to know what he was about to do. Slamming the door behind him, Zuko removed the cover of a hidden compartment.

Popping it open, Zuko extracted the contents and stuffed them into the bag. He retrieved the duel dao swords hanging from the wall and stored them in as well. Doing a final check on his equipment, the mask stared back at him from the bag as he tied it up. Slinging the bag over his shoulder, he waited until dark and then snuck to the cargo hold. He was familiar enough with the controls to lower ramp the patrol boat. And the thing made so much noise that someone would be along to close it in short order. This was not the first time he had done something like this, so his uncle would not worry too much.

 _Much more than usual, that is,_ Zuko thought.

When he got his heading, Zuko changed out of his Fire Nation clothes and into the dark grey suit he wore when he went out on expeditions. Securing his pack, he withdrew the mask and held it in front of him.

Zhao would have all his forces scouring the region for the Avatar. It was not exactly a secret that he had been heading up this way, and the admiral had enough people to spam across the countryside. Unless Zuko caught a lucky break, he would have to wait until the Avatar was actually caught and spirit him out.

Putting on the mask, Zuko felt his thoughts shifted. He was not Prince Zuko at the moment. He was the Blue Spirit.

 _So that's your plan?_ the spirit asked.

Zuko had gotten used to the fact that he had a mask that talked to him. He could not quite place when it began, but he had acquired the mask on his own after he had been banished. Something to remind him of happier times when his mother would take him and Azula to see plays. It could be quite yappy at times, but still provided useful information when he otherwise hit a dead end.

What he still could not figure out was if it was actually the mask talking or if he was going insane. The voice sounded remarkably like his own, but distorted and echoing in his head. And it always sounded like it found everything about Zuko's life amusing in one way or another.

Arriving at the shore, Zuko found a place to hide the boat and began going inland. The hike lasted well into the morning, sneaking up on observation posts and listening to conversations. They chatted with each other idly, the signs of nothing interesting having happened in the last hour. Guessing the placement of other posts, Zuko visited them in turn, each as informative as the last, which is to say completely barren of any relevant information.

Hearing a horn in the distance, Zuko's ears perked. The soldiers themselves also noticed.

"Does that mean-?" one began to ask, but Zuko had already darted off. He swung into the trees, leaping through the branches in the direction he had heard the horn. He could hear a commotion growing until he spotted a small gathering of soldiers along the road. Zuko clenched his teeth when he saw who had captured the Avatar.

The Yu Yan archers were the best marksmen in the Fire Nation, and likely the world. Given that Zhao was now an admiral, it should not have been surprising to find such a group brought in on the hunt.

 _Would you look at that,_ the Blue Spirit said. _You've already gotten the first phase of your plan completed. Good job._

Zuko refrained from dignifying the Spirit's jovial sarcasm with a response. From what he could see, the Yu Yan archers had just handed the Avatar to another squad of Zhao's men. The boy hung limply between those carrying him, clearly drugged to unconsciousness. But there was no signs of his friends. The soldiers loaded the airbender into a cart with some men, undoubtedly present to re-administer the tranquilizer, and set off.

 _Great,_ Zuko thought bitterly. Though, on the plus side, it made busting the Avatar out of Zhao's custody much easier. _If his Water Tribe friends could stay out of trouble, that is._

Letting out a deep breath silently, he started trailing after the wagon hauling the airbender off. To Zuko's chagrin, the archers escorted the convoy, forcing Zuko to keep his distance, even if they never seemed to suspect that anyone was following them at all. They reached the fortress about noon, and Zuko began patrolling, looking for potential blind spots, of which there were none to be seen. The open fields would be dangerous to cross, even if it was a rainy night, something Zuko figured would not be happening based on his observations, and the sheer walls were both tall and the material would make climbing it a challenge, even if he did not have to worry about the guards being alerted to his presence.

That left the gate. He had seen a wagon go through after a quick inspection, most likely carrying supplies in for Zhao moving his forces in.

Zuko smiled when he spotted the remnants of the storm they had gone through the other day; amble puddles that could easily hide him in a pinch. Noting the layout of the road, he found a place to wait until dark, watching the fortress from the cover of the brush. Carts came and went at odd intervals, but the stream thinned out bit by bit the darker it became. When the sun set beyond the horizon, Zuko made his move.

Slinking out of the bush, he sidled up next to the road. Torchlights indicated the next approaching wagon. Keeping close to the ground, Zuko dropped into the largest puddle in the middle of the road with a deep breath, eyes upward. It was coming in fast enough he did not have to hold it in long. When the wagon passed overhead, he grabbed unto the underside, holding on tightly.

As the wagon slowed in front of the gate, Zuko watched as the guards began their search. After seeing so many wagons come through, they had gotten somewhat lazy. Still, they would check the underside. The moment the guards stepped past him on one side, Zuko eased himself on the ground and skirted around back and climbed into the wagon. Moments later, the guard cleared the wagon forward. Zuko looked out the back, watching the guards settle back at their posts.

He waited until they pulled into the supply dump, then slinked out of the wagon in a patrol gap, a shadow among shadows under the cloudy sky. The guard was rather sparse and inattentive to their surroundings, not that Zuko made enough noise or stayed in the open long enough for them to notice him in the first place.

Climbing into the nearby guard tower, he began scouting the grounds for a place to sneak into the tower proper with minimal exposure.

Zuko glanced over the ramparts. The garrison was gathered below the balcony, where Zhao had just stepped into view.

"We are the sons and daughters of fire," he began. "The superior element! We are the sons and daughters of fire, the superior element! Until today only one thing stood our path to victory, the Avatar. I am here to tell you that he is now my prisoner!"

 _Not for much longer,_ Zuko thought. He continued to half-listen as he ducked past a pair of guards who were listening to the speech.

"This is the year Sozin's Comet returns to grant us its power! This is the year the Fire Nation breaks through the walls of Ba Sing Se and burns the city to the ground!"

 _What an arrogant sod,_ the Blue Spirit thought. Even though he agreed, Zuko ignored the spirit as he slipped over the ramparts down a rope. Running to a grate, he dropped into the drain tunnel and crept into the lower levels of the tower. Most of the staff was occupied, and thus, Zuko was able to slip past layer after layer of security. The guards were too sparse and relaxed for holding such a high profile prisoner. And Zhao's speech had proven to be a useful distraction.

Hearing footsteps, Zuko jumped and clung to the ceiling, hidden by the beams. When the man passed underneath him, Zuko dropped down, quietly subduing the man and taking his helmet before stowing him in a darkened corner. Grabbing a length of chain laying in a closet and a bucket full of water, he moved forward.

The next hall led to where Zuko guessed where the prison would be. Using a broken mirror to look around the corner, he spotted a quartet of guards at the door, confirming his suspicions. Taking the helmet, he pitched it down the hall at the guards and retreated back into hall.

Taking the chain, he lassoed the guard's hands and shoved him back, incidentally redirecting the blast of flames back into the man's face before Zuko punched him in the windpipe. The man had still uttered a muted shout as he collapsed, which prompted Zuko to take to the ceiling once more, taking the beaten man up with him.

When two more guards came to check on their comrade, one was subjected to the same treatment as the first and second found his legs no longer underneath him as Zuko swept his legs around and followed up by helping gravity carry him to the ground.

Grabbing the bucket, Zuko ran to the intersection of the hallway and spotted the last guard reaching for the nearby horn.

 _Oh no, you don't,_ Zuko thought. He threw a knife, knocking it out of the man's hands and rendering it useless as well. Bucket in hand, Zuko darted forward, dousing a blast of fire with the water from the bucket, which was then used to take out his legs. Stunning the man, Zuko restrained him and covered his mouth.

Glancing at his work, Zuko sighed. The men he had taken out were Fire Nation soldiers, even if they worked for Zhao. Killing them was unnecessary. Zuko rifled through their pockets for the keys, but found that none of them had the key that went to the door.

 _That's not surprising at all,_ the Blue Spirit laughed.

Zhao most likely had the key on his person, just to keep others from possibly taking the airbender out from under him.

 _Like this will deter me,_ Zuko thought.

Smirking under the mask, he slipped his hand into his bag and pulled out a lockpicking kit. To his surprise, the lock gave way quickly, and Zuko returned the kit and shoved the door open.

The airbender was bound between two pillars, his arms and legs held by chains and shackles. Zuko closed the door and drew his swords. The airbender let out a gasp. As Zuko began spinning the weapons around and advancing on the restrained child, the boy began to scream. The blades met the chains, splitting them apart. The airbender was surprised to still be alive, but Zuko listened for a raised alarm.

There was no noise to be heard.

Satisfied, Zuko finished freeing the airbender from the restraints and walked to the door. The shackles were meant to restrain firebenders; explode when too much heat was applied. By hitting them at the right angle, they fell apart quite easily.

"Who are you?" the boy asked. "Are you here to rescue me?"

Zuko merely gestured the boy to follow him.

"I'll…just take that as a 'yes'."

 _Good._

Zuko scouted ahead, but the airbender had already gotten sidetracked by some frogs. Grabbing the boy by the collar, Zuko dragged him along. A close call with the guards got the boy to remain silent as they exfiltrated the tower and retraced the path Zuko had taken in. Even though the guards had resumed their patrols in earnest, the rope remained untouched. Zuko pointed Aang upward, and began

That was when the alarm began to sound, shortly followed by Zhao shouting to the soldiers below.

"The Avatar has escaped!"

A soldier looked over the side of the wall above them and quickly cut the rope, sending the airbender and Zuko plummeting half the wall's height. Zuko jumped to his feet, but promptly fell back down, his knuckles resting on the ground, vision hazy and head swimming. The airbender screamed in pain, but Zuko could not raise his head to see what was going on.

The ground began to rumble, then split open in front of them, spewing lava and smoke. The soldiers surged away from the heat.

"It's a demon!" a soldier shrieked.

Regaining his senses, Zuko saw more fissures break out across the ground. The airbender was passed out, shivering despite the heat. Mentally grumbling, Zuko picked the boy up and began to run. The guards gave him a wide berth, fearing the ensuing destruction.

"I'm okay," Aang said, rolling off of Zuko's back, not breaking stride or causing Zuko to stumble. The gates remained open, allowing the frightened soldiers to flee around them. The airbender led the way, shoving the few soldiers that stood in their way with gusts of wind. The road opened before them, the soldiers putting as much distance from the eruption expanding behind them.

Zuko turned, ducking under an arrow aimed for his head. Likewise, Aang took notice and kicked up an enormous cloud of dust, deflecting the arrows that continued to rain down on them until they passed the treeline, then making a break for it.

[-]

Zhao watched as the fortress sank into the ground, scowling. The Avatar had escaped, and with him, the thief who broke him out. If there was only one thing he intended to do aside from recapturing the Avatar, it was that masked man would suffer greatly at the Admiral's hands. Only, the destruction caused by one man was second only to the Avatar.

How would he catch someone who could sink buildings?

 **A/N: Here we go kiddos. Zuko has demonstrated his first usage of another element (not that he is aware of it at the moment)!**

 **This one took a little while, partially because I accidentally uploaded an older version onto my tablet when I went out for a trip. Lost a page or two with that.**

 **Anyways, Zhao has more headaches and is now minus one fortress. Zuko and Aang are on the wind, but Aang has no clue who he just busted him out. Sounds like fun!**

 **And this also ends the Rending arc.**

 **Review and recommend, and we'll see you around next time.**


	9. Thrill of the Hunt

Fragments

Aang panted heavily. He had never had to run that far that fast before in his life. The masked guy looked like he was hardly winded. He could not be a spirit, having received some injuries in the escape.

"You're hurt," Aang said.

The man with the blue mask waved him off.

"Are you mute?"

After a moment of consideration, Zuko nodded.

"So why did you help me?"

Taking a moment to construct an answer, Zuko cleared the patch of dirt and hastily scribbled _you're the Avatar._ A simple answer, but one that he could expand upon.

Aang sank down and drew his knees close to himself.

"I haven't told anyone this, but…I'm not really the Avatar anymore."

Zuko squinted, though Aang could not see that because of the mask. Zuko knew what the airbender and Roku had talked about. Not counting on the blank stare to convey the message, he quickly scribbled "what".

"Well, I'm kind of the Avatar, but I was frozen in ice for a hundred years, and I've been feeling weird ever since, and then I talked to one of my past lives and he said that I wouldn't have to look far to find who the current Avatar is, and since you were lavabending, and I've never heard of a lavabender who wasn't the Avatar, I was wondering if you were the new Avatar."

Zuko blinked as Aang took a breath after running at the mouth. Were it not for the fact that he already knew about half of what was said beforehand, he might have missed everything he had said.

 _I'm not the Avatar,_ Zuko scribbled on the ground.

Aang scrunched his face.

"I've never bent earth before. That should be even more reason that you're the Avatar."

Zuko clenched his teeth. There were so many things wrong with the airbender's argument, but there was no way of doing that without revealing his identity, either by dropping the mask or bringing up something that only Prince Zuko should know about. The Blue Spirit identity could still come in handy in the future dealings with the Avatar. And Zuko could not simply grab the boy now, even if he caught him by surprise.

Aang gasped. "I need to get more frogs. My friends are sick and they need to suck on them. Where are you going? Do you think we could meet up again? Actually if you aren't busy, why don't you come with me?"

Zuko's eyes widened. The Blue Spirit cackled.

 _You just met me,_ Zuko hastily scribbled down. _What if I_ was _trying to kidnap you?_

The Blue Spirit continued to cackle, eliciting a mental hush from Zuko.

"Well…" Aang said, scratching the back of his head. "You didn't have to break into the fort, did you?"

 _Actually, I did_ , Zuko thought. He went back to scribbling, more or less ignoring the question.

 _As much as I would like to go, I have some things I need to do before moving north._

"You're headed north, too? Do you know where?"

 _Visiting one of the northern ports. Need to visit someone first._

"Oh. Well, I hope we get to meet again soon."

With a parting wave, Aang was off like a shot, jumping from branch to branch with gusts of wind.

The ride back somber as Zuko repacked his gear. His whole plan had become complicated…or at least, more complicated than it was before. He would be chasing the Avatar to the Northern Water Tribe. It would be difficult to intercept the boy before he reached his destination, abut decidedly next to impossible to grab him once he was inside the Northern Water Tribe's formidable walls. Yet, if he wanted to make use of the Blue Spirit again as a means to capture the airbender and the waterbender, he would have to play his chase without exploiting the information he had just received.

Zuko waited as the crank pulled the boat back in. His head was throbbing and on top of that he was tired. Uncle Iroh was on the main deck, playing the tsungi horn. The old man stopped when he saw Zuko climb out from below decks.

"Where have you been, Prince Zuko?" He asked exuberantly. "You missed music night. Lieutenant Jee sang a stirring love song."

"I'm going to bed," Zuko answered tersely. "No disturbances."

No sooner had his head hit the pillow that he was out cold. His dreams were cut short by an echoing laugh. The Blue Spirit mask stared back at him. Even without eyes of its own, Zuko could _feel_ its mirthful gaze. And then it vanished into a cloud of smoke. His eyes stinging, Zuko forced out some tears, then opened them again when he felt warmth to his face and his own ragged breathing.

Running across a battlefield, everywhere Zuko looked, there was fire, which should have meant that the Fire Nation was winning this fight. Yet, Zuko could not help but feel dread building up. Coming up to a rise, he found a number of Earth Kingdom soldiers on the ground, mixed with those of the Fire Nation. Clenching his fist, Zuko looked up and was shocked by what he saw.

Iroh strode across the field of steel and corpses, fire trailing from his hands and the fiercest expression. His lips moved, as if issuing a challenge, but Zuko could not hear it. He fell into an unfamiliar combat stance and fire filled his vision.

Then it was cold.

Opening his eyes, Zuko found himself on a plain of ice. Men and women of the Water Tribe scrambled around him, trying to avoid nets. Looking up, Zuko spotted a Fire Nation warship flying the colors of the Southern Raiders.

A woman with shoulder length brown hair shoved him out of the way of one net, shredding it with a blast of water. The woman smiled and gave him a quick nod before gathering more water for another attack.

As the scene faded from his mind, he stared back into a pair of gold eyes, surrounded with inky blackness.

Snapping awake, Zuko shook his head and looked outside. He was certain he had slept almost until dinner. A tray of food was left on his nightstand, most likely left by his uncle. Swinging his legs out of bed, Zuko wolfed down the food and began pacing around the room. He was taking a sip of cold tea when a sudden shaking occurred on the lower decks.

Throwing on a robe, Zuko made his way to downstairs in time to see a rather large beast jumped onto the ship, sniffing all around.

"Out of my," the woman riding the creature said. "We're here for a stowaway."

"There are no stowaways on my ship," Zuko said with as much conviction as he could.

Heedless of Zuko's protests, the woman's mount tore open the deck sniffed into the newly created hole. Shortly after, a man climbed out, braving the jagged edges of torn metal to make an effort to escape. The attempt was cut short when the creature's tongue lashed out, striking the man, who promptly collapsed.

Seeing the man paralyzed, Zuko began formulating a new plan.

[-]

Sokka was on the verge of pulling his hair out. Every time Aang pull off a crazy stunt, he would pass out. From the first time they met to the ordeal with Jet, and more recently, an active volcano, the boy saw fit to do something crazy then pass out.

In all honesty, the whole deal with the fortuneteller lady had been a draining experience for all involved, save for maybe Katara. Aang had saved a village from annihilation by volcano, Aunt Wu had been pestered almost incessantly by Katara, and Sokka had to deal with a town full of superstitious people who could not seem to grasp the concept that forces of nature moved independently of human will.

"I'm just a normal guy with the boomerang," he grumbled. Though, ever since leaving the South Pole, he wondered if sanity was a rare trait. Suki and the other Kyoshi warriors were pretty level headed, though the other kids from the village were rather crazy whenever it came to the Avatar. And Bumi was the ultimate example of craziness.

He stopped short of his mental tirade when the faint scent of burning wood caught his attention.

"Katara, here," Sokka said, rolling Aang off into Katara. Aang nearly flopped to the ground, but was caught before face-planting against the dirt. He scrambled after Sokka, overtaking the older boy.

"Here's a sword made from a whale's tooth," Aang announced, holding up the item in question.

"Let me see that," Sokka said, taking the weapon from Aang's hand. "This is a Water Tribe weapon." Examining the surroundings he found a cluster of trees burned in an unusual pattern. "There was a battle here. A group of Water Tribe warriors ambushed a group of firebenders." Following the sporadic pattern of burned grass downhill, the trio arrived at an empty beach.

"So…what happened?" Aang asked.

"I don't know," Sokka replied, downcast. "The trail ends here."

"Wait, look!" Katara piped up, pointing down the beach.

"It's one of our boats!"

The three of them ran to the beached vessel.

"Is it dad's boat?" Katara asked.

"No," Sokka replied. "But it's from our fleet. Dad was here!"

Searching the ship, they found it bereft of any usable supplies. Sokka ended up electing to camp next to it, taking up watch in case there were still enemy soldiers in the area. He thought back to the time he had seen his father and the other men of the Tribe go off to war.

 _"Being a man is knowing where you're needed the most. And for you right now, that's here, protecting your sister,"_ his father had said.

 _I abandoned them,_ Sokka thought. He had left the village with scarcely a thought.

The kids he had been training were nowhere near strong enough to protect the village by themselves. He knew why he was traveling with Katara and the Avatar, even if he mentally kicked himself over it. If Aang failed in stopping the Fire Lord in time, there would be no home to go back to. Yet another part wondered how that could possibly happen. If Omashu was any indication, there were plenty of Earth Kingdom strongholds remaining, not to mention that the Northern Water Tribe still stood.

The sound of footfalls brought him out of his musings.

"Who's there?" Sokka called out, jumping to his feet.

"Sokka?" the silhouette replied, stepping into the firelight. Bandages covered a good portion of his chest, but when Sokka saw the man's face…

"Bato?"

Aang and Katara sat up and looked over.

"Who what now?" Aang said groggily.

"Bato!" Katara jumped up and gave the man a hug, joined by Sokka.

"Sokka! Katara! It is so good to see you two," Bato said warmly. "You've grown so much." Stopping short, Bato regarded Aang curiously. "And who's this? I don't recognize you from the tribe."

"Bato, this is Aang," Katara said.

"He's the Avatar," Sokka added.

"It's an honor to meet you," Bato said.

Aang gave a quick bow as the siblings peppered the man with questions.

"Where's dad?"

"Is he here?"

"No, he and the other warriors should be in the Eastern Earth Kingdom by now," Bato replied. A gust of wind blew across the beach, reminding everyone that is was still winter. "This is no place for a reunion. Let's get inside."

Aang had only a vague recollection of the trip to the abbey, the intense smells of perfume, and then a quick supper of something that Aang might have gagged up if he were not so tired. He spent most of the conversation curled up in a corner with Momo sleeping on top of him, dozing off while the two siblings chatted with Bato, remembering times gone by. He woke up again

He woke up in the middle of the conversation.

"-we can't. We have to take Aang to the North Pole first," Sokka said.

"Even if we do have time to wait for the message," Katara continued. "Who knows how far we'd have to travel. We don't have time for a long detour."

"I'm sure your father would understand," Bato replied. "And be proud that his children are helping the Avatar."

An ostrich-horse squawking drew the Water Tribe travelers outside where an Earth Kingdom soldier was waiting.

"I'm looking for Bato of the Water Tribe," the messenger said.

"That's me," Bato answered. The man quickly handed a piece of paper to Bato, then rode off. "It's the directions to where the rest of the warriors are now."

Sokka looked down for a moment, but he managed a smile.

"It was nice seeing you again, Bato," he said. "Tell dad we said hi."

"You mean you aren't going with him to see your dad?" Aang asked.

"We promised to get you to the North Pole, didn't we?" Sokka said, rubbing his knuckles through Aang's hair.

"I still need to find a master, too," Katara added.

"We're just going to walk with him for a while, then we'll get back to our own journey. You want to come?"

"Sure!" Aang chirped.

"I'll be leaving in the morning," Bato added. "And you three need to keep moving, I imagine. We'll both be needing rest for the next stretch of our journeys.

[-]

Breakfast was quick and their departure quicker. Bato was the only one carrying anything extensive, as they north-bound group intended to backtrack to the Abbey after they traveled with Bato for a while.

Aang turned to Appa, rubbing his head. "Stay here, buddy. We'll be back soon."

The walk was pleasant. Bato seemed to forget that Aang was not actually of the Water Tribe. It was fun hearing the stories between them, a pleasant reminder of the times he had played with other children from the Water Tribes.

A tearful goodbye later, they let Bato go on his way, returning to the abbey.

Gathering their things, a commotion drew their attention to the abbey's gates. The thick wooden doors crashed open, ushering in a large creature. Atop a large animal were three people, two of which they had encountered more than once before.

"Zuko!?"

The creature lashed out at them with its tongue, striking Sokka and Katara.

"Ow," Sokka said when he flopped down next to his sister.

Aang sprinted aside, keeping ahead of the creature's tongue when Appa barreled into it, knocking the extra riders off.

Zuko recovered first, jumping to his feet and going after Aang while the woman and the shirshu, Aang reminded himself, kept after Appa.

With a single-minded will, Zuko chased after Aang, sending blasts of fire after him, keeping him on the move, barely dodging some of the blasts of wind from Appa's battle on the grounds below.

The firebender corralled Aang off of the roof and chased him around the well. With a flying leap, Zuko fell down on his target, aiming to incapacitate the boy with the next strike.

Inching back, Aang brought his hands up, hoping to deflect the attack. Instead, the flames suddenly vanished, and the wind died out as quickly. A blast erupted from the meeting point and threw the two of them backwards.

Sitting in between them was Katara's necklace. Aang ran up and scooped the item up, ducking under a lunge from Zuko. Bobbing around the well's covering, Zuko gradually blasted it all away, leaving no immediate source of cover. Aang then jumped into the well, blasting water back up when Zuko launched a stream of fire after him.

Flying up top, he saw a flood of perfume slide past his feet as Zuko crashed into a pile of crates nearby. The shirshu, no longer able to clearly discern its surroundings, began lashing out with its tongue randomly, including its thrown rider, then in a fury, ran back out of the abbey.

"Go, Avatar!" one of the sisters shouted.

Dragging Sokka and Katara on board, Aang climbed onto Appa's head and took up the reins.

"Yip-yip!" Aang urged.

Still wobbly, Appa took to the skies, leaving the abbey behind.

[-]

Zuko crawled out of the pile of broken things and surveyed the scene. The sky bison was already shrinking in the distance. The prince seethed at the sisters, but turned to leave. Iroh was laying on his back with June on top of him.

"Let's go, uncle," Zuko barked. He stopped short again when the old man did not move. "When did you get hit?"

June, still conscious, but very much displeased with her position, growled. Zuko felt his eye twitch as he turned to face the sisters.

"Get them both moving and I'll leave you in peace."

 **A/N: Yay! We skipped some unnecessary Aangst! Also, new arc.**

 **Sorry for the lack of Sokkasm and other Sokka humor. Given the amount of skipping being done, Serious Sokka has been at play more often than Silly Sokka. *shrug* What can you do?**

 **I know I did not mention much of Jet (both the episode and the person). Fear not, he still exists within the realm of this story, and will be involved later. The events of the episode happened, for all intents and purposes, the same as in canon (though Aang has Water Tribe clothes and more hair). And since Zuko was never there, he had no opportunity to exhibit or affect any changes to the story.**


	10. Prelude to Siege

Appa glided down to an open patch of ground and allows his passengers to disembark and stretch their legs. Katara walked up to an empty kiosk with posters decorating the side.

"This should give us an idea of what's going on around here," she said.

"See if they have a menu," Sokka threw in.

Walking up next to the waterbender, Aang looked at the posters, trying to ignore those advertising the Fire Festival. He doubted he needed to learn firebending if he was going to pass the Avatar duties to someone else. His eyes wandered and settled on a wanted poster.

"That's him!" Aang shouted.

Katara looked over.

"That's who?" she asked.

"Remember when you guys were sick and I was gone a long time?"

"And when you stuck frozen frogs in our mouths?" Sokka shot back. "How could I forget? I got a wart on the flap that hangs down from the back of my throat!"

Katara sighed. "Sokka, I've checked, and told several times already, there is nothing there. Anyways, you were saying, Aang?"

"This is the guy who helped me escape." Aang held up the poster for the others to see.

"The Blue Spirit?" Katara read aloud.

"Yeah, but he isn't a spirit."

"You don't say," said Sokka. "Hey, Aang, Aren't you even a little suspicious of this Blue Spirit guy?"

"Not really," Aang replied.

"Riiight, cause there's nothing suspicious about a random guy randomly saving you from certain doom."

[-]

Zuko winced as the door opened for what had to have been the tenth time that evening. As expected, Uncle Iroh stepped in.

"For the last time, I'm not playing the tsungi horn," Zuko declared.

"No, it's about our plans," Iroh said. "There's a bit of a problem."

"I'm taking your crew," Zhao said, making his presence known.

"What?!"

"I'm taking them for an expedition up north."

 _North?_ Zuko thought, eyes narrowing at the Admiral. _He isn't planning on an invasion now, is he?_ "Uncle, is this true?"

"He's taking everyone. Even the cook!"

"Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar. But I can't have you getting in my way again."

 _So that's what this is all about._

Zhao stopped in front of the crossed swords hanging on the wall. Zuko could not see his face, but the tension in the man's shoulders told of Zhao's recognition.

 _He knows,_ Zuko thought in a panic.

"I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko."

 _Of course no one knew!_ His father was ashamed of having sent him to learn in the first place. "I'm not," Zuko replied. "They're antiques. Just decorative."

Zhao looked hardly convinced and gave the sword a few idle swings.

"Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?" the Admiral asked.

"Just rumors," Iroh replied. "I don't think he is real."

"He's real, all right. He's a criminal, and an enemy of the Fire Nation. But I have a feeling justice will catch up to him soon." Zhao handed the sword to Iroh and then turned to leave. "General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands if you change your mind."

The door shut behind the admiral and Zuko let out a breath as quietly as he could.

 _That was too easy,_ Zuko thought. _Better keep on my toes._

[-]

The empty ship rattled and echoed, nearly devoid of human presence. The ship never was operating at full capacity at any point since Zuko first acquired the aging vessel. Barebones crew and the constant need for repairs had been something of a wear over the last three years.

Iroh opened the door to Zuko's room and leaned in.

"The crew wanted me to wish you safe travels," he said.

"Good riddance to those traitors," Zuko shot back.

"It's a lovely night for a walk. Why don't you join me? It would clear your head."

Silence.

"Or just stay in your room and sit in the dark. Whatever makes you happy."

Closing the door again, Iroh walked to the main decks and was intercepted by Shyu.

"Good evening," Iroh said. "Care for a stroll?"

The Fire Sage nodded. "There are some things about the prince I have been meaning to ask you regarding Prince Zuko,"

"Is that so?"

Both men walked away from the ship, unaware of the parrot flying overhead.

[-]

The metal clang in what should have been an empty ship brought him from the brink of slumber.

"That was fast," Zuko thought aloud. Jumping to his feet, he searched the area immediately outside his room. "Uncle? Shyu?"

Noting the lack of answer, he pressed towards the bridge. It would not be the most defensible location, but it did limit the avenues of attack, and if it came to it, he could dive off the side.

Easing the door open, he made sure no one was waiting for him to turn his back.

Zuko saw a parrot with beady eyes staring back at him. Recognizing the critter, he glanced around, waiting for a dagger from the dark. Instead, he was treated a rapidly advancing wall of fire.

He had moments to react, the wall of flames rushing at him. On instinct, he threw up a wall of flames around himself and pushed them outwards, force against force. Only, in the middle of an adrenaline fueled moment, he put more into those flames than he expected. The bridge exploded, taking out the next few crumbling floors out beneath him, dropping the prince into the still exploding wreckage.

The fire spread quickly, and enough that he would not survive the extended exposure. Climbing out, he jumped over the side, the cooling sensation greatly appreciated. He would be feeling the bruises and scrapes soon enough.

The next thing he knew, Uncle Iroh was kneeling next to him, changing out some bandages.

"What happened?" Iroh asked.

"It was Zhao," Zuko spat. He winced and grabbed his side.

"Are you sure?"

"Even if he used pirates to do it, the timing was too convenient."

"But why?"

"He already took my crew. Why not go the extra spiteful mile and get rid of my ship, too? Catching me in the blast was probably a bonus."

Iroh stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"Zhao will be going after the Avatar," he said after a long silence. "You are going to get to him first."

"How uncle? In case you didn't notice, we don't even have a boat anymore. Not to mention the fact that the Avatar is heading to the North Pole and Zhao has an invading force to between us and there to root him out."

"Which is going to be to our advantage."

"What are you planning, uncle?"

"I'm going to accept Zhao's offer."

"What?!"

"He thinks you dead. We are going to let him keep thinking that, something that will greatly aided with me there. He is less likely to look for you that way."

"But how does this hel-" Zuko stopped in his tracks. "I see. So I'll be sneaking onto his ship while you're meeting with him."

"Correct, Prince Zuko."

"I'll need to find a disguise, then."

A cough drew their attention to Shyu.

"I have a feeling I won't be able to continue traveling this road with you."

Zuko regarded the Sage and gave him a respectful nod.

"Where will you go?" he asked.

"Into hiding for now," Shyu answered. "Where exactly, I don't know yet." Shyu bowed. "Good luck." And then he began walking away.

"Safe travels, friend," Iroh replied.

When the Sage was out of sight, the two of them worked out a plan.

[-]

Zuko sat at the village outside of Zhao's assembly area, dressed in simple clothing, keeping his head down. Hundreds of soldiers meandered about the town, enjoying the luxuries afforded by civilization before the set off to the North Pole. For many, it would probably be their last dose.

The prince never liked having to wait, something he had had to force himself to do, scouting out the perimeter. He had found some holes, but he wanted a surefire entry point, as he would not be afforded a second chance, especially if his cover was blown. And he was having to time his movements to Iroh's, all while re-piecing his gear, mainly items he likely would not find in the ship, and keeping to the shadows or crowds.

At dusk, he caught sight of Iroh approaching checkpoint along the main road. Having already divested himself of his civilian garb and changed into clothes conducive to stealth, Zuko trailed the old general from the shadows.

Sneaking into the assembly area was much easier than infiltrating the fortress. The patrols were sparser and cover was in abundance. The guards were also less attentive, likely due to the sheer numbers of guards patrolling a rather large area.

He climbed onto the ship and crept unseen across the decks, waiting for a soldier to isolate himself.

When one target presented himself, Zuko slipped behind the man and snaked his arms around his neck, giving his head a quick torque. Easing the man down, Zuko dragged him into a closet and stripped the soldier of his uniform and equipment before dumping his body into the water with some extra weight. He allowed himself a pang of remorse before mercilessly squelching it.

For the night, Zuko crawled into the rafters, out of sight from any patrols. Now it was time to wait for the fleet to make its move to the North Pole.

[-]

 _Running up to a woman cleaning some fish, she spoke up to get her attention._

" _Mama, look."_

 _Holding up her hands for the woman to see, water played between her fingers, swirling around in an orb._

" _That's wonderful, sweetie!" Mama replied. "We need to find you a master."_

" _Hama can do it, too."_

" _Really? You girls are growing up so fast."_

[-]

Waking up from his dreams was far less…painful than it had in the past. Something he was grateful for since he was not supposed to be on the ship.

Satisfied that the coast was clear, Zuko rolled out of his hiding spot as quietly as he could. The morning guard change was underway and he wanted some more information on how the fleet would deploy once they reached their destination.

Hopefully, Iroh would have some more intelligence to pass on.

[-]

Aang woke up with a shooting pain in his chest. Glancing across the room, Sokka slept soundly, snoring away into the night. Momo stirred as Aang swung his legs out. Between the cold air and the pain, he doubted he would be falling asleep again. Running a hand through his ever thickening hair, he got dressed and stepped into the chilly night.

He and Katara had to be up bright and early for training with Master Pakku. Momo accompanied him to the balcony and sat in the boy's lap the night wore on.

 _It'll be better tomorrow._

 **A/N: Looking back through the chapters, I realized that** _ **Jet**_ **has had more words dedicated to his story involvement than Momo. Yes, his Momoness is still around. He's just not doing much as far as we can see.**

 **Also, exit stage left for Shyu, at least for now. Maybe I'll bring him up in the future, but don't expect any involvement of our favorite Fire Sage anytime soon. Not that he had much presence in the first place.**

 **In other news, there may be two more chapters for this book (three if something goes wrong). After that, it's off to Substance and an ever expanding number of divergences from canon.**


	11. A Frozen Trial

Aang was in bed after a grueling lesson with Pakku. He knew the man was a master, and he and Katara had faced the brunt of his lessons. A part of him wondered if it was more than professional pride that he ran them so hard. It would be rather poetic revenge, training the Avatar to end the war.

Some days, Aang had considered telling everyone he was not the Avatar, but something held him back. Well, several things. The most obvious was that he could still bend water as well as air. Ever since he first tried his hand at waterbending, courtesy of Katara's prodding, he had proven quite proficient, picking up the basics at an alarming rate, which had irritated Katara at first.

Another reason he had was that he was afraid of people turning on him or abandoning him. As of yet he had not failed a challenge, but it was only a matter of time before someone figured it out on their own. He could trust Katara and Sokka to stay by him, but he could only hope everyone else would be understanding.

The most important reason was that the person he believed to be the new Avatar was from the Fire Nation, someone who had more or less been confirmed as an enemy by nearly everyone, even by the person in question.

Speaking of which, if he was translating his feelings correctly, he would be able to talk to the other boy soon.

It had been several days ago, but he could feel an approaching warmth, the likes of which he could not place. He had grown accustomed to wearing the heavy coats of the Water Tribe, but with each passing day, he contemplated discarding the extra layers.

Looking outside, he saw black snow falling from the sky.

[-]

Zuko discarded the armor he had been wearing for the trip up north and changed into the gear he would be wearing into the Northern Water Tribe. The anxious journey of seemingly endless waiting had come to an end.

Zhao had launched his invasion like clockwork as soon as they had come into range of the catapults. The first ships bombarded the outer wall, dispersing the defenders and softening the fortress for the landings.

However, the level of resistance had crippled those first ships that approached. The airbender and the Water Tribe as a whole had given the first wave an incredible thrashing, almost completely them out.

To the advantage of all parties involved, the Fire Nation fleet halted their attack for the nigh, beginning Zuko's window of opportunity.

 _This is what it's like to be on the front lines,_ Zuko reminded himself as he saw another ship sink underneath the icy waves, succumbing to the damage inflicted upon it. It was not the first time he had seen the effects of war, but even after the hundredth time it was sobering.

A familiar whistling caught Zuko's attention. His uncle was coming with the final pieces he would need for his infiltration.

It was time to seize his destiny.

[-]

Aang followed Princess Yue into the Spirit Oasis. The sight of greenery was surprising, as was the warmth. He could not help but smile at what he saw as he ran to the island at the center.

"I never thought I'd miss grass this much," Aang sighed contentedly, running his hands along the ground.

"It's so warm here," Katara noted. "How is this possible?"

"It's the center of all spiritual energy in our land," Yue explained.

"You're right, Yue," Aang said. "I can feel ... something."

Discarding his coat, Aang sat down, crossing his legs and pressing his knuckles together. His skin prickled and there was an ache in his just, but he tuned it out. He had a mission and the Northern Water Tribe was depending on him.

 _You can still make it to the Spirit World, Aang,_ he told himself. _Just contact the spirits and make it back. No problem._

Clearing his mind, Aang's tattoos glowed, even underneath the hair.

[-]

Bursting through the surface, Zuko gasped for air. He had just finished melting through what had to have been at least a foot of ice. And that was after navigating Fire Nation patrols, Water Tribe sentries, and then swimming into the arctic fortress, _up_ through a drainage tunnel at night, the time when firebending was weakest.

After mentally thanking his uncle for his emphasis on breathing exercises, he onto his side, he breathed out some quick bursts of fire, warming himself a little. His body heat would have to do the rest and dry out his clothes. Sneaking out of the spillway, he glanced around.

Most of the Water Tribe sentries were gathered closer to the walls, looking out to the invading fleet anchored outside. Jumping down, he stalked into the shadows and donned the new Blue Spirit mask he had procured.

 _Having fun?_ The spirit asked facetiously. _I understand that water is rather cold._

Zuko slapped his hand upside his head, effectively shutting the spirit up for the temporary while he began scouting out his next move.

The city layout was well organized. Zuko had sometimes wondered what it was like for the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe architects, being able to change the buildings to suit your needs as you needed them. When he had captured the Avatar and had his banishment lifted, he resolved to tour the Fire Nation colonies and see how the locals were putting their talents to use.

Few non-combatants walked outside. Even so, Zuko stayed out of sight. The lack of alarm was indicative of his success. Judging from what he had been able to spy out from the telescope, the airbender was going to be at palace. And if he would be there, the rest of his friends would likely be close by.

Taking another step, he felt the stabbing pain return. Shrugging it off the best he could, he quickened his pace, even if he didn't know why.

[-]

"Is he okay?" Yue asked after a long period of awkward silence.

"He's in the Spirit World," Katara answered. "He'll be fine as long as we don't move his body. That's his way back to the physical world."

"Maybe we should get some help," Yue said, turning to leave, but she stopped short. "I think we have some unexpected company."

Standing at the edge of the pond, walking on across the footbridge was a man wearing a smiling blue mask. He stepped with his toes, moving silently, ready to change directions at a moment's notice. Recalling the wanted poster, Katara gasped

"The Blue Spirit," she whispered.

"How did he get into the city?" Yue asked.

"Aang did say he was really good at sneaking."

"And if he was an ally, why didn't he make his presence known sooner?" Yue looked at Katara then back to the intruder. "Who are you really?"

Zuko was about to answer, or at the very least raise his hand, but he eyed Katara warily. In their past encounters, she had something of a hair-trigger when it came to defense. He could not talk for fear of blowing his cover and the waterbender had picked up on her friend's suspicion, changing her stance in preparation for a fight.

"Remove the mask, stranger," the princess ordered.

 _Looks like the game is up_ , the Blue Spirit chuckled.

The three stood in a tense standstill. Zuko contemplated at least wounding the princess, but figured she was not a bender, or simply a non-combatant as she placed herself behind the waterbender.

Before he could formulate a plan, quick as lightning, Katara pulled water from the nearby pond and lashed out at the man. The water whip sliced the mask open and sent the owner reeling. Katara pulled more water to herself, waiting for the man's next move. When he turned around, what Katara saw made her drop the water.

"Zuko!?" she exclaimed.

The prince fixed her with a look.

"Yue, go!" Katara urged. "Get help. I'll hold him off myself."

"Well, aren't you so grown up," Zuko mocked.

Zuko sprinted across the oasis, punching fireballs. Water splashed around the interloper as he flipped around the attacks while maintaining his own assault. The white-haired girl made for the exit, as Katara gave her cover, blocking all of Zuko's attempts to stop her.

"If we are going to have company, I'll make sure to end this quickly," Zuko said.

"Good luck with that," Katara shot back.

Stepping forward, Zuko punched out quick bursts of fire. Katara flipped streams of water, cancelling out Zuko's. Her opponent now standing on top of a small puddle, she swept his feet out from under him. Sprawled out on the ground, Zuko flipped wet hair out of his face.

"I see you've learned a new trick," he said. "But I didn't come this far to lose to you."

Katara swatted the firebender back, freezing his feet in place and washing waves upon waves around him and freezing him in a giant ball. He regained his senses and glared at his opponent.

"You little peasant," he growled, voice muffled by the ice. "You found yourself a master, haven't you?"

Using his body heat, Zuko melted his way out of the frozen prison. The rapidly heating water violently expanded, exploding outwards, showering Katara with ice like broken glass and sending her flying backwards.

"Still, it's clear you haven't even begun to master the other elements."

"What are you talking about?"

Zuko resumed his attack, edging towards Aang. Katara slapped the prince aside, pressing him against the wall with a torrent of water and freezing him in place. Katara allowed herself a triumphant smirk at the immobilized prince. She could hear the sounds of approaching battle. Hopefully, Yue would be back with help soon.

The sun peeked over the horizon, illuminating the oasis. Zuko regained consciousness and swiftly melted his prison, then fell upon the waterbender, sending a blast of fire her way. Though she pulled water between them to save herself from being burned, she failed to completely block the attack and was knocked into the gate.

Grabbing Aang, Zuko stood over the unconscious girl.

"You rise with the moon. I rise with the sun."

There was no way he could carry both of them. He had hoped to take one hostage, but that would not be possible when one was clearly in the spirit world. Regrettably, Zuko decided to take the airbender and left the Water Tribe girl where she lay.

Backtracking was liable to be challenging at best if the other girl had raised the alarm, and an intrusion by an enemy force would draw more guards than he could reasonably deal with, even without the extra cargo.

Zuko made his way to the highest point in the oasis and began climbing up the frozen wall, melting handholds as he went. The airbender was heavy, and what had looked like a straightforward climb was turning into a grueling trial.

[-]

Katara woke up, looking to the place where Aang had been meditating. The spot was empty and Zuko was gone.

"Aang!" she called out desperately. Zuko had to be long gone. Momo scampered around her then to where Aang had been sitting.

Appa bellowed above them, settling down.

"What happened?" Sokka asked. "Where's Zuko?"

"He took Aang," Katara replied sadly. "He took him right out from under me."

"Where did they go?" Sokka looked up at his sister. "Katara, you're hurt."

She felt a wetness on her check and brought her hand up. Pulling her hand away, she found blood. The skin was sensitive, like it had been burned. She felt the other places where superheated ice had hit her: her right shoulder, across her left leg, just above her left hip. Seeing the other patches of lightly burned grass, it was amazing she survived and that Aang was evidently alive enough for Zuko to still find him valuable.

"Did you see anyone on the way in?" Katara asked.

Both Sokka and Yue shook their heads.

"We need to find them. Fast."

"You did everything you could, and now we need to do everything we can to get him back," Sokka said, resting a hand on her shoulder. "You need to see a doctor."

Katara shrugged his hand off, retrieving her coat.

"I'll heal along the way."

Sokka was about to protest further but decided that he was not going to get her to back down.

"Zuko can't have gotten far. We'll find him. Aang's gonna be fine."

Katara nodded and climbed onto Appa. Momo sat near where Aang had been sitting before being abducted.

The sky bison took to the air, leaving the canyon where the oasis was. As the passed the cliffs, they were met with blizzard conditions.

Squelching the dread trying to rise up, she remembered something Zuko had said.

 _What did Zuko mean by me mastering the other elements?_

[-]

Zuko breathed fire into his hands for what had to have been the hundredth time in the last hour. He was grateful for his uncle's foresight to bring something for a fire. The blizzard had slowed down everything, and it was really only his breathing that was keeping him and his prisoner alive.

"Welcome back," Zuko said.

"Good to be back," Aang chirped with only a slight shiver. "Hi, Zuko. Or do you want me to call you Blue?"

Zuko glared at the other boy.

"I'm sorry, but I need to get back to the oasis."

"You aren't going anywhere,"

Aang took a deep breath and sent himself sliding out into the snow. Remembering that he was tied up, he began inching along the ground like a worm until Zuko grabbed his arms.

"You won't get away that easily," he growled.

A loud bellow drew both of their attention upwards.

"Appa!" Aang cried out.

The bison swooped down, dropping off an irate waterbender as soon as it landed. Zuko dropped the airbender next to him and readied himself for a fight.

"Here for a rematch?" Zuko challenged.

"Trust me, it won't be much of a match," Katara retorted.

The frozen ground shifted beneath Zuko's feet, launching him into the air. Sweeping his feet around, he blasted the icy slush, falling back into the tundra. Feeling the snow close in on him, he twirled around, turning the encroaching swirl into steam, then launched himself back onto a stable surface.

And found himself facing a massive tidal wave.

With a war cry, he blasted fire at the wave, but the sheer volume swept him away.

Her opponent defeated, Sokka ran up and cut Aang's bonds, allowing him to grab Zuko and being dragging him along.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked.

"We can't just leave him here," Aang replied.

"Sure we can," said Sokka. "Drop him and let's go."

"No, if we leave him he'll die."

"That's kind of the point, Aang."

Katara looked at her brother admonishingly, but found herself agreeing.

"Aang, he's wanted nothing but to capture you," she argued. "Why are you trying to save him?"

"Ask me that later," Aang cut off. "The spirits are in trouble."

With haste, they got back onto Appa's saddle with their prisoner.

"Yip-yip," Aang shouted, and the bison carried them back to the besieged city

"What did you find out?" Katara asked.

Before he could answer, the moon turned red.

Yue clutched her head in pain.

"Yue, what's wrong?" Sokka asked.

"I feel faint," she replied.

"Me too," Aang asked.

Zuko stirred, his eye popping open.

"Make it stop," Zuko demanded.

"What's wrong with him?" Sokka asked.

"Can't you feel that?"

Sokka smacked the prince on the back of the head with his club, sending him back into unconsciousness, earning him a glare from Aang.

"What? He asked me to make it stop, so I did."

Aang shook his head and looked to where they were going.

 **A/N: Good news! The writing for Book One of A: FY has been completed. Book Two has begun its production.**


	12. Where Do We Go From Here?

_You're a mess, Zuko. Is that really all you've got?_

Zuko stirred as he tried to shut the voice out, assuming it was Azula again.

 _Quit ignoring me. You need to wake up._

Analyzing his situation, Zuko began pulling his thoughts back together. He was in the black room again. Alone, save for the voice pestering him. His head was throbbing from the Water Tribe peasant hitting him with his club.

 _Gears turning. That's good._

No, that was not Azula. She was back in the Fire Nation. Back home with father. This voice was more recent.

"The Blue Spirit," Zuko said.

 _There you go,_ the spirit said. _Now get your butt moving. The show's about to start._

Zuko woke up, tied up and sitting on Appa's saddle. He focused a small flame to his hands, burning through the crudely repaired rope. His hands free, he went to work on his feet, then shrugged the remaining rope off of his shoulders. To his credit, Appa did not react much when Zuko freed himself, focused on the oasis where the standoff between Zhao and Aang was taking place.

Sliding off of the bison, Zuko watched as Zhao dropped a fish back into the pond and set it on fire. The sky turned black and Iroh leaped into the middle of Zhao's formation of firebenders, taking them on all by himself.

 _Uncle?!_ Zuko thought. _What are you doing?_

Meanwhile, Zhao fled from the carnage, unaware of the prince's eyes settling on him. Chasing after Zhao, Zuko felt the pain surge in his chest.

 _Why now?!_

Pushing himself, onward, he found Zhao bounding down the terraces. The fixture in front of him exploded. The admiral turned to the origin of the fireball.

"You're alive?"

"You tried to have me killed!" Zuko shouted angrily, attacking.

Zhao rolled aside as the space he had been before exploded.

"Yes, I did," Zhao affirmed. "You're the Blue Spirit, an enemy of the Fire Nation. Do you know how many of your countrymen you killed when you freed the Avatar?"

"As if you cared. Freeing the Avatar was the only option."

A glow rose from the oasis, but neither man paid any heed as they blasted fire at each other with abandon. The duel moved around, taking out chunks of buildings and landscape. Zuko struggled to keep himself standing against his more experienced opponent while fighting off the urge the fall. Zhao smiled at the prince's weakness, but was continually frustrated by his continued resistance.

Splitting a particularly intense blast, Zhao discarded his cloak.

"You should have chosen to accept your failure; your disgrace. At least then you would have lived."

Zuko sneered at the admiral, then his eyes flickered.

The admiral barely kept himself from being burned as he was smacked off of the terrace, then Zuko jumped down after him. Rolling back to his feet, he saw Zuko drift down on a gust of wind.

"What?!" Zhao balked.

Deflecting another blast of fire, Zhao's eyes turned to the moon, once again shining brightly in the sky.

"It can't be!" he roared.

The ground melted then shot out in freezing lances, pinning Zhao to the nearby wall. Zhao looked at the young man with horror as fire wreathed Zuko's hand and the light of his eyes focused on him. Stepping closer, the young man raised his fist…

[-]

 _"I told you to go away!"_

 _"Come on, Shan," Wen jeered. "_

 _Stomping his foot down, the ground shot up around him, pillars of earth slamming into the boys around him. Seeing the bloodied boys on the ground, he ran home and curled into a ball in his room._

 _"I'm sorry," he cried._

[-]

Zuko woke up to his uncle shaking him.

"Zuko!" he hissed.

Sitting up, Zuko took stock of their location, unaware of his uncle's sigh of relief. They were no longer in the city, situated on a cliff overlooking the arctic sea.

"Uncle, how did I get here?" Zuko asked.

"I found you like this. You're lucky. Most would have frozen already."

"I've never needed luck."

"My objective is going to be moving before too long. They're going to be looking for an earthbending master next."

"You seem rather sure of this."

Ignoring Iroh, Zuko got to his feet.

"We're going to need a new transport," he said tersely. "The moment he leaves the Water Tribe, I want us to be on his trail."

[-]

The rebuilding process in the North Pole was going smoothly, even if a bit slowly. Guarding the mass influx of prisoners had become an intense chore, especially for the firebenders. Unfortunately, the number of wounded was so high that many succumbed to their wounds before the healers could get to them.

Aang was still recovering from the fusion with La the ocean spirit. He had saved the Northern Water Tribe, but the process had been draining, and signs of physical damage were present in his body. Katara had opted to work on him personally in conjuncture with another healer, hoping to sharpen her skills.

"How is he doing?" Katara asked when she woke up from her mandatory rest.

"He'll be on his feet in another day or so," Taka replied. "Plenty of time for your departure."

Katara nodded. "Thank you."

"Not at all," the older woman said. "We owe this boy a great deal."

Katara traded off with Taka. Her eyes rested on his fuzzy head. She hoped he woke up soon. There were questions that needed to be answered.

[-]

Lieutenant Jong sighed into a cup of tea. It was the beginning of the New Year, yet no one on the ship felt like celebrating.

They had been bailing themselves out for days, fishing out supplies and survivors from other wrecks in the aftermath of the Northern Siege. The expedition was beyond a failure. It was a wholesale disaster. Zhao's name would not survive the fallout, even if official records tried to say otherwise. It did not take a genius to figure out that the war effort would be greatly hampered in the coming months.

The captain had been killed in the fighting when a jet of pressurized water punched into the main deck, even from a mile off. After that, a tidal wave swept them back out to sea. Ships crashed into each other, crews dumped over the side.

A mere handful of ships had escaped practically unharmed, those stationed at the back that had wisely pulled back and fled. They had been able to make contact with maybe five times that when the chaos subsided.

Seeing their enemy retreat had emboldened the Water Tribe and the waterbenders descended upon the crippled fleet. Hundreds of Fire Nation soldiers surrendered rather than risk the icy waters. Others were more defiant, attempting one last spiteful attack before being sent to the depths of the arctic sea.

Jong slammed his cup down in anger. Sozin's comet was coming later this year. They could have done this later with fewer men and ships, not to mention fewer casualties. But no one listened to the concerns of a mere lieutenant, not that he voiced them to anyone who could or would say anything. Those sorts tended to react poorly when the glory of the Fire Nation was questioned.

A Fire Nation victory, even without the awesome power of the comet, had been assured. Nationalistic pride had dragged thousands out to their deaths. Though, if Jong was honest with himself, he too had gotten swept up in the enthusiasm. His personal thoughts being been born of pragmatism, not pessimism.

Now, all they had to do was rally at the nearest landmass and hopefully they would be able to rejoin the proper war effort. Ozai would not be able to afford the execution of the survivors after so many losses, nor could he afford to pull them from the war effort.

The door slammed open, one of the night's watch panting heavily.

"What is it?" Jong demanded. Stopping short, he took a moment to compose himself. Being at sea for so long on top of the loss at the north was fraying everyone's nerves. "What is it?" he said again, calmly this time.

"Sir, someone's come aboard," the man replied.

"Another survivor?" It almost seemed too good to be true. The man looked aside, uneasy. _This could be troublesome._ Jong thought.

"Apparently so, sir," the guard said finally. "He wanted to speak to whoever was in charge."

 _Must be an officer, probably a noble._ "I'll be down there right away."

Jong stepped out into the cold air of an arctic night, bracing himself for whatever, or whoever had managed to survive this long without a proper transport.

A short, rotund man with a balding head of grey and a long beard stood next to a tall young man with a nearly shaved head and a long top-knot. Both men looked at the Lieutenant, clearly Fire Nation, and the young man stepped forward.

"I am Prince Zuko. We are commandeering this ship."

END OF BOOK ONE

 **A/N: There you have it. Book One of Avatar: Finding Yourself. I hope you enjoyed the journey so far and are excited for what Book Two has to offer. Drop a review and/or tell a friend. This party is just getting started.**

 **In other news, the (as of now) one-shot for my Naruto AU fic is going online shortly. If Naruto is your jam, you might find this upcoming story interesting.**

 **One final note: Avatar: Finding Yourself has exceeded 5,000 views. You guys are awesome!**


	13. Book Two: Start

**Book Two: Substance**

Resume

" _Please, Father, I only had the Fire Nation's best interest at heart. I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!"_

His words were useless.

" _You will fight for your honor."_

Zuko kneeled, bowing before his father.

" _I meant you no disrespect. I am your loyal son."_

Everyone watched the display. In his dreams, Zuko could imagine the quiet jeers and smug smiles on a number of faces.

" _Rise and_ fight, _Prince Zuko."_

This was how it began.

" _I won't fight you."_

Fire filled Zuko's vision, focused on his left eye. In hindsight, Ozai could have taken off his head; the Fire Lord was certainly powerful enough.

At the time, Zuko could only remember hearing his own screams.

[-]

Waking up, the scream died before it reached his lips, reduced to panting. Shaking his head, Zuko heard a rapping on the door to his appropriated quarters.

"Prince Zuko?" someone asked from the other side.

"What is it?" Zuko shot back, steadying his voice.

"You told us to wake you when we reach port."

"How far out are we?"

"We should be there within the hour. The tides are rather treacherous this morning."

"Very well. Carry on."

Swinging his legs out of bed, Zuko rested his head in his hands.

Three years.

That was how long it had been since his banishment. Since his fall from favor.

He had accomplished what others had given to being impossible. He had found the Avatar. For months, he had chased his quarry from the South Pole to the North, the boy slipping through his grasp every time he came close to capturing him. The debacle at the North Pole was merely another failure added to the list.

Zuko had been thwarted, but he was far from being broken. The moment he could properly recover, he had every intention of chasing after the boy again.

Dressing, Zuko walked out onto the deck for the view of the port of call.

The Su Oku River flowed out into the harbor over a series of waterfalls. Situated at the top was a lavish resort that routinely enjoyed patronage of wealthy Fire Nation citizens. That was where he would be making port for the time being. There were a couple of villages nearby that were well within walking distance in addition to the port town, so the crew could recuperate from the siege. As this was a Fire Nation occupied territory, the chance for trouble would be minimal.

While relieved at the end of their voyage, the sailors projected an atmosphere of unease. The prince's banishment was not a secret in form. While he was still royalty, the possibility of being punished for breaking off from their unit, even under the orders of a noble, were weighing on the back of their minds. Zuko's mind was on other matters.

A scent permeated in his nose, stronger than anything he should have been able to smell, especially over the smell of sea and men who had been at sea for weeks.

His thoughts were a blur as soon as he had stepped off the ship, his feet carrying him the source of the smell that was driving him crazy. Stale alcohol, dried sweat, seawater, and a combination of other smells he could not quite place, all coming from miles away. The distance did not register in his mind as much as the need to hunt the source down.

Before Zuko knew it, he was standing at the entrance of a seedy looking tavern. Pushing inside, he found the place filled with unsavory characters milling about or slouched around and on tables. Zuko turned his nose up.

 _Ratty places clearly attracted rats,_ Zuko thought.

"Hello, darling," the waitress said, sidling up next to him. "What can I get for you?"

"Nothing that you are offering," Zuko replied.

Sniffing the air, Zuko zeroed in on the person his nose had led him to, eyes narrowing on the subject wearing a purple coat and an iguana parrot perched a short distance behind him. Without trepidation, he stalked over to the man, surrounded by food and empty cups, and flanked by women. The man was in a drunken state, but his female companions took notice of the young man flaring off a murderous aura and promptly vacated the man's side. He took slightly longer to notice Zuko staring at him, and flinched when he saw him.

"You," the pirate captain gasped. "You're alive?

"I'm standing right here, aren't I?"

The pirate captain he had become "acquainted" with sized him up. His more sober cohorts noticed the brewing tension and began reaching for the nearest item to be utilized as a weapon.

"Don't get so full of yourself, boy," the captain laughed. "It was nothing personal."

"It sure seemed personal to me," Zuko replied flatly.

"Tch. You're right. And we were paid to get rid of you." Taking swig from a nearly empty bottle, he slammed it back down. "I don't like leaving jobs unfinished; it ruins a man's reputation. Take him down, boys!"

The pirates converged on the prince. Zuko whirled around to the closest one, grabbing his arm and swinging him into the next man. He then kicked out a chair at another man's shins, then flipped over a table, forcing two of them to go out wider while Zuko trashed the next duo.

The captain made for the window, self-preservation taking priority. The shutters refused to budge. Looking around, he saw others faced with a similar problem. He dove into the back room, remembering a door that led out to the back.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Turning around, the captain came face to face with gold eyes surrounded with black. The prince pulled up a dao sword, swiped from a fallen patron, which began to glow.

"Say goodnight!" Zuko sang, then drove the blade into the man's chest.

[-]

 _"Hey, Hama. Did you see that girl who arrived the other day?"_

 _"The Northerner? Yeah. A bit prissy looking if you ask me."_

 _"Not what I expected from a Northerner. I'd always been told that they were all stuck-up and what have you."_

 _"Maybe you should say something to her, if you care that much."_

 _"Come ooon, Hama."_

 _"Kinna, let me go! I'm trying to work."_

 _"If we're going to be neighbors, we should say 'hi'. No two ways about it."_

[-]

"Zuko? Zuko!"

Iroh kneeled over his nephew as he came to.

"Where were you, Prince Zuko?"

"I found the pirates that tried to kill me."

Iroh stiffened at this.

"What did you do?" he asked, dreading the answer.

"…I don't know."

A brief silence passed between them.

"Where am I?" Zuko asked.

"I didn't see you at dinner, so I went looking for you. I saw you coming up the road, then you fell over."

"Really?"

"Yes. Let's get you someplace warm."

[-]

Aang stared at the ceiling of the cabin. It had been a long time since he had trouble sleeping.

His mind replayed the scene of him devastating the Fire Nation fleet.

There were times he had trouble controlling La's power, where he had almost fallen into the city, or the ocean. During those lapses, he saw himself fighting Zhao, using firebending to do it.

Based on what Aang knew, he could not recall seeing into other peoples' view while in the Avatar state, not anyone who was not somewhere in the Avatar cycle. He had gotten memories before from Roku, but what he had seen was concurrent during the battle.

He had seen something like this before, not long after he had started the trip up north. Another firebending duel, an Agni Kai with Admiral Zhao. Once again, he had lots of pieces to the puzzle, but not enough to make a picture to show anyone else.

Making his way above decks, Aang looked out to see on the stern, his staff resting across his legs.

Aang wondered what the other boy was doing, if was even aware of what was happening.

"Aang?" Katara whispered, loudly enough so that she was heard over the sounds of the waves. Aang glanced back at her, then turned back.

"Hey, Katara."

"Having trouble sleeping?"

"Yeah."

"A nice night, don't you think?"

"Mmhm."

Katara sighed and rested her hand on his shoulder.

"Aang, what's wrong?"

Aang did not answer, but Katara had spent her childhood growing up with Sokka, so she was plenty patient for long stubborn silences, leaning on the side of the ship to hopefully meet the airbender's eyes. They were not bright and cheerful, nor were the weary. His grey eyes were distinctly dull and unhappy.

Figuring he would not be answering anytime soon, Katara decided to help the conversation along.

"Zuko said something about me not having master the other elements. Do you know something about that?"

Aang's eyes widened as he looked to her.

"I think so," Aang replied. "I would rather it wait until after we leave the boat."

"Okay. I'll be holding you to that. And I promise I'll hear you out."

[-]

Zuko and Iroh arrived at their room, both tired and eager for a goodnight's rest. It had been just over a week since they arrived at port. While Iroh spent his days at the spa, Zuko worked on finishing his recovery. His wounds were no longer an issue, but combined with his lack of activity during the voyage from the North Pole, he had to work his way back into his normal training regimen.

"Hello, brother. Uncle."

Zuko and Iroh turned to face their "guest", sitting cross-legged at the table across the room, playing with some shells Iroh had collected earlier. It had been

"Azula, what are you doing here?" Zuko growled.

"In my country, we exchange a pleasant 'hello' before asking questions." Azula rose from her seat. "Have you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?"

 _Kill, kill, kill,_ the Blue Spirit chanted in Zuko's head.

"Don't call me that!" Zuko barked, ignoring the spirit's suggestions.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Iroh asked, hoping to defuse the situation. A violent clash between the prince and princess was inevitable, but he would rather it not be at such a nice location.

"Hmm, must be a family trait," Azula said. "Both of you so quick to get to the point."

"Funny, because you're also part of the family."

Zuko resisted the urge to slap his hand over his mouth. In fact, he tried not to react at all.

 _Where did that come from?_ He thought.

Even Azula seemed taken aback at the comment. What's more, she did not retaliate. Zuko turned around, looking out the window to the harbor. Azula regained composure and continued as if he had said nothing.

"I've come from home with a message. Father has changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important."

 _What?_ Zuko thought, too confused to feel a particular emotion.

"Father has heard plans to overthrow him; treasonous plots. Family are the only people he can trust."

" _She's going to double-cross you,"_ the Blue Spirit whispered. _"Can't you smell that? The smell of a predator luring in prey."_

 _Shut up!_ Zuko mentally shot back.

" _Half the nobles who overthrow each other are closely related. She's probably bringing you back so they can have a scapegoat, and that's best case. I wonder if word of your involvement's reached home yet."_

 _I said. SHUT. UP._

Iroh saw his nephew tense up, clawing gouges in the window sill. What only he notice was the black in Zuko's eye receding.

"Father regrets your banishment," Azula added. "He wants you to come home."

" _She's only telling you what you want to hear. And she's doing a good job at it, too."_

"Did you hear me?" Azula said, just shy of snapping at him. "You should be happy. Excited. Grateful." With practiced efficiency, Azula schooled her features and softened her voice. "I just gave you great news."

 _"What was your mantra all those years ago? 'Azula always lies', right?"_

"I'm sure your brother only needs a moment." Iroh said.

"Don't interrupt, uncle," Azula spat, then turned back to Zuko. "I still haven't heard my thank you. I'm _not_ a messenger. I didn't have to come all this way."

 _"This is a performance to her. You can tell how difficult it is for her to not demean you and your uncle like she normally would."_

 _People can change,_ Zuko thought.

 _"Rarely is it for the better."_

Azula was miffed at the lack of response.

"I can see you need some time to make up your mind," she said. "I'll come to call on you tomorrow. Good evening."

Zuko and Iroh stood in silence for a long time. When he was reasonably sure that Azula was gone, Zuko grabbed an empty sack and loaded it with whatever supplies he could scrounge up from a resort room.

"What are you doing, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked, curious.

"Azula always lies," Zuko said. "If she already has plans to betray me, I'm not playing into her hands. My fight with her will have to wait for another day, preferably on my own terms."

As soon as they stepped outside, two of the Imperial Firebenders landed in front of them. Without missing a beat, the two parties clashed. Kicking the closest one downstairs, Zuko turned his attention to more soldiers who joined them.

"Go inform Princess Azula," one shouted. "The prisoners are escaping."

That cinched it.

 _"I told you~"_ the Blue Spirit sang.

Mentally cursing, Zuko knew that Blue was right as he threw another opponent off of the walkway and blasted fire down the stairs, scattering his foes and forcing them to retreat.

While his back was turned, one charged up a bolt of lightning. Iroh swooped in, grabbing the man's arm before he reached the apex of the technique, and sending it harmlessly into the cliffs at the harbor.

"Zuko!" Iroh shouted over the fighting. "Let's go!"

Jumping off the path, the two of them slid down the hill in varying degrees of elegance before running off into the night. Zuko relied on his night vision to lead them to the road, where they sprinted off.

"Ohh, my back," Iroh complained, huffing and puffing, but keeping pace all the same.

Cloud broke, allowing the moonlight to offer illumination for the road.

The two ran for a long time until they came to a calm stretch of the river. By now, she was probably declaring Zuko and Iroh fugitives and placing a bounty on their heads along with any who associated with them.

"I think we're safe here," Iroh panted.

Kneeling at the creek bed, Zuko pulled a pearl-handled dagger from out of his robes. Iroh hummed when he recognized the dagger he had gifted all those years ago.

It was something Zuko had kept on his person at all times, and had survived his previous ship's destruction. It was probably the only thing he had kept with him from his old life.

 _Never give up without a fight_ , read the inscription.

Zuko pondered the words for a moment. While it felt like he was running, his true battles were elsewhere. He needed answers, and Azula did not have them.

Unsheathing the blade, Zuko sliced off his ponytail, then handed it to Iroh, who swiftly did the same with his topknot. They dropped the cut hair into the river simultaneously, watching it drift downstream.

It would be a long time before they could return to the Fire Nation. Until then, Zuko's search for the Avatar was still on.

 **A/N: Boom, baby! Book Two has be~gun! We've stepped on some butterflies, let's see where things go next.**

 **I have left a clue as to where this story is headed. Let's see if you can figure it out.**


	14. Runaways

Aang guided Appa in the direction that he had been told by Master Pakku. Following his directions and the notations on the map they had been given,

"There it is," Sokka shouted.

The fortress had roads leading out in the four cardinal directions. Landing Appa in the central clearing, all of them piled out to stretch, not caring that an entire garrison was watching them.

"Welcome, Avatar Aang," the leader proclaimed loudly. "I am General Fong, and welcome, to all of you great heroes! Appa, Momo, brave Sokka, the mighty Katara."

"'Mighty Katara'?" Katara mused. "I like that."

Fireworks shot overhead.

"Not bad," Sokka observed. "Not bad."

"Come with me," General Fong said. "We have much to discuss."

Aang the siblings were lead to a large office, where they were seated in front of General Fong's desk.

"Avatar Aang, we were all amazed at the stories of how you singlehandedly wiped out an entire Fire Navy fleet at the North Pole. I can't imagine what it feels like to wield such devastating power. It's an awesome responsibility."

"I try not to think about it too much," Aang said casually, scratching the back of his head. Katara glanced aside at the boy. There was an underlying unease in his voice.

"Avatar, you're ready to face the Fire Lord now."

"What?" Aang protested. "No, I'm not."

"Aang still needs to master all four elements," Katara added.

"Why? With the kind of power he possesses, power enough to destroy hundreds of battle ships in a matter of minutes, he could defeat the Fire Lord now!"

"But sir," Sokka argued. "The thing is, Aang can only do those things when he's in the Avatar State."

Aang decided to explain. "See, it's this special state where-"

"I'm well aware!" Fong cut off. "Your eyes and tattoos glow and you're able to summon unbelievable power. Without you, we'd be slaughtered before we even reach their shores. But with you leading the way, as the ultimate weapon, we could cut a swath right through to the heart of the Fire Nation."

Aang swallowed with a dry throat. _This is what people are expecting of me?_ He decided to argue his way out before things got out of hand.

"Right, but, I don't know how to get in or out of the Avatar State, much less what to do once I'm there."

"So, it's decided then," Fong declared. "I'll help you figure out how to get into the Avatar State and then you'll face your destiny."

"No, nothing's decided," Katara protest, standing up in anger. "We already have a plan. Aang's pursuing his destiny _his_ way."

"Well, while you take your time learning the elements, the war goes on. May I show you something?" Standing, Fong gestured to the window, beckoning the kids to follow him. "That's the infirmary, and those soldiers are the lucky ones. They came back. Every day, the Fire Nation takes lives. People are _dying_ , Aang! You could end it, _now_. Think about it.

Aang's shoulders sagged.

"I'm sorry, General Fong, but that's not a good idea."

"How can you say that?"

"You see, in the past, I've had almost no control of the Avatar State. At the North Pole, I almost lost control completely. I could wind up hurting more people, your people if I tried to do it now."

"Then we'll have to find a way to have you enter the Avatar Sate with minimal oversight."

"Didn't you hear me? It's dangerous for everyone if I tried to use the Avatar State right now. I'm missing something important, something the Avatar can't be without. I'm not sure what that is, but I can't help you end the war today."

General Fong was gobsmacked, completely still from the Avatar's outburst. He had no time to recover before the Avatar and his companions had taken their leave. He was tempted to press the issue but he would let the guilt work at the boy.

[-]

Zuko ran his hand across his fuzzy scalp. It had been more than a week since he and Iroh had made their escape from Azula

Knowing that he still had to find the Avatar was one thing, but it was another thing entirely actually attempting to do so with nothing more than he and Uncle Iroh had on their backs.

He had never had much in the way in resources. His ship was an antique he had scrounged up before someone deemed it scrap; no one would have parted a more modern ship willingly. The crew he had had been wrangled together by his uncle. Most of the information he had worked off of in the past was hearsay, rumors, and stories, all of which turned out to be dead ends. The rest of the Fire Nation had not been of much help, Zhao being on the more antagonistic end of the spectrum.

While the Blue Spirit had indeed been useful at that particular moment, there was no guarantee that it would continue to do so in the future. It had a mind of its own that ran along a different line to what could be construed as normal. Relying on its advice would eventually backfire, and at the worst possible moment.

 _"Ouch,"_ the spirit in question said, though it was clear that he was anything but hurt by that particular thought.

Which was another thing he had to work with, the issue of sharing his thoughts with the spirit. It made ignoring him quite difficult unless he had nothing to say on the matter at hand.

A trembling in the ground snapped him out of his thoughts.

"What's this?" Zuko asked. "An earthquake?" Zuko stood up, but the shaking quickly subsided after.

Iroh eyed his nephew, but said nothing, too busy picking at the intensifying rash on his arms.

"You just had to make tea out of a poisonous plant," Zuko griped.

Bearing the agony, Iroh whimpered noncommittally.

"Let's hope this road leads somewhere soon."

[-]

Aang and the others prepared for departure at the early morning light, skimming by on a light breakfast. Some of the soldiers approached them as they were loading up.

"Do you still want an escort to Omashu?" they asked. Aang, Katara, and Sokka all exchanged glances.

"I think we're good," Sokka answered.

"Where are you going?" General Fong asked.

"We're headed to Omashu," Katara replied.

"But if we can-"

"No!" Aang declared, cutting the man off. "I want the war, too. But I'm not going to risk hurting people unnecessarily to do it. Appa, yip-yip!"

The fort shrank behind them rapidly, putting Fong's madness behind them.

"That guy was out of his mind," Sokka said finally.

Katara looked at Aang, who gazed contemplatively ahead of them.

"Aang-"

"I know what you're going to ask Katara."

"Aang, this is obviously eating you up inside. You don't have to worry. We're your friends. You can trust us."

He wrestled with some false starts before

"I'm not the Avatar anymore."

A silence fell on the camp. Even Momo stopped chittering. Sokka spoke up first.

"Wait, but you can bend air and water. I thought only the Avatar can bend more than one element."

Aang sighed. "I know, but I think when I was in the iceberg a part of the Avatar was transferred to someone else."

"Do you know who?" Sokka asked.

"I think so."

"Well, who is it?"

"I'd rather ask him first, just to be sure."

"Zuko seemed to think it was me," Katara answered. "…Is it me?"

"You?" Sokka spat. "You could barely use waterbending a couple of months ago. How could you be the Avatar?" Sokka immediately shrank back when Katara shot a glare at him. "And besides, Aang said it was a 'he'."

"Anyways, I was wondering if we should even go to Omashu."

"You should still stop by and explain things," Katara reasoned. "Master Pakku sent a message ahead of us."

"I don't know…"

"He's your friend, Aang. I'm sure he'll understand."

Aang thought for a moment.

"Okay," he said. "We'll keep heading to Omashu. It'll be good to see Bumi again!"

[-]

Zuko and Iroh stood outside the hospital they had been directed to by some locals. Iroh grumbled to himself, still scratching, while Zuko knocked on the door. The place was quiet, not at all what Zuko would have expected from a place so close to the Fire Nation colonies and the warfront in general.

Presently, the door opened. A girl with soft brown hair sized the two of them up before noticing Iroh's rash.

"Oh my," the girl said. "What seems to be the trouble?"

"We had an…incident on the road," Zuko replied, to which Iroh nodded vigorously.

"Come here right away."

Iroh did as he was told, sitting where indicated. "What happened to you?"

The old man chuckled as he regaled the girl with his story. By the time he was done, the girl was chuckling.

"You two must not be from around here," she concluded. We know better than to touch the White Jade, much less make it into tea and drink it."

Blue was snickering. _"Ooh, tell her about the fact that he nearly tried some other plant that was potentially lethal. Or the fact that you're actually Fire Nation fugitives."_

Ignoring the spirit, Zuko almost missed the girl's question.

"So where are you traveling from?"

"Yes, we're travelers," Zuko shot out hastily.

 _Smooth,_ Blue chuckled.

"Do you have names?" the girl asked, slapping Iroh's hand away from the applied ointment.

"Names? Of course we have names. I'm, uh...Lee, and this is my uncle, uh...Mushi?"

Iroh gave his nephew an angry look, while Blue was practically roaring with laughter. Feeling vindictive over the name he had been straddled with, Iroh decided to keep the trend going.

"Yes, my nephew was named after his father, so we just call him Junior."

The girl missed Zuko's constipated look as he tried to hush his uncle, but Iroh was already pleased with himself.

 _"You're vague as all get out,"_ Blue cracked off. _"How is she not suspicious of you?"_

"Mushi and Junior, huh. My name is Song. You two look like you could use a good meal. Why don't you stay for dinner?"

Zuko turned away. "Sorry," he said. "But we need to keep moving."

"That's too bad. My mom always makes too much roast duck."

"Where do you live exactly?" Iroh asked, more eagerly than considered polite.

Before long, the two of them were seated around a simple dining table, being served by Song's mother.

 _Why did I let myself get dragged into this?_ Zuko wondered.

"My daughter tells me you're refugees," the older woman asked. "We were once refugees ourselves."

"When I was a little girl, the Fire Nation raided our farming village," Song explained. "All the men were taken away. That was the last time I saw my father." Sorrow, though well concealed, was plain Song's and her mother's faces, an old wound.

"I haven't seen my father in years," Zuko said quietly.

"Oh, is he fighting in the war?"

Iroh slurped up his bowl of noodles, eyeing him curiously.

"Yeah," Zuko answered.

Cutting at the roast duck, Zuko's mind wandered. The droll of conversation fading to the back of his mind.

 _"A slash across the neck would ensure a quick death,"_ his mind began to rattle off. _"The heart would yield the most, especially if directly consumed, even if it means carving through the breastbone. Stabbing the eyes can be entertaining, guaranteeing-"_

Catching his train of thought and bringing it to a grinding halt, Zuko quickly stood up and left before anyone could say anything.

[-]

A commotion on Appa's head drew Katara's attention.

"Aang? What's the matter?"

The airbender clutched his chest, eyes wide and panting heavily. Worried that Aang might fall, Katara grabbed him by the collar.

"Sokka, come quickly!"

The siblings pulled Aang back into the saddle.

"Can't you use waterbending or something to heal him?" Sokka asked.

For a moment, Katara contemplated using the gift she got from Pakku, but decided against it. Normal water would have to do. Appa sensed the trouble and kept the flight steady, but it was clear that he was distressed by what was happening to his companion.

"We need to find the other Avatar," Aang rasped.

[-]

Zuko gripped the sides of his head. The Blue Spirit was not even saying anything, but it was like there was a howling ache inside, wracking his entire body with pain he could not place, nor could he locate the source of. The spirit was rather quiet about the matter, only offering the occasional cackle at Zuko's misery.

It felt like he was being pulled apart.

"Are you okay?" Song asked. Her voice cracked through the haze.

"I'm fine," Zuko replied tersely.

"Can I join you?"

He wanted to tell her to leave him alone. For both of their sakes.

However, Zuko nodded, and she sat down beside him.

"I know what you've been through," Song said. "We've all been through it." Even without looking, Zuko knew she was looking at his scar. "The Fire Nation has hurt you."

She reached out to touch his scar, but Zuko caught her hand, more roughly than he intended to. He mumbled an apology.

"It's okay. They've hurt me, too."

Song lifted her pant leg, revealing burn scars that traveled up well past her knee.

 _"Oh look,"_ The Blue Spirit said. _"You have something in common."_

Inside, Zuko winced with empathy. They both sat on the porch for a long time before Song went back inside to clean up. Thankfully, Iroh graciously took their leave.

"Thank you for the duck," Iroh said. "It was excellent."

"You're welcome," Song's mother replied. "It brings me pleasure to see someone eat my cooking with such...gusto."

At this, Iroh cheerfully patting his stomach. "Much practice."

Mirroring Iroh's bow, Zuko turned to walk away, eager to be gone from the place.

"I know you don't think there's any hope left in the world," Song said. "But there is hope. The Avatar has returned."

Zuko glanced over his shoulder and nodded silently before turning back to the road ahead.

As Zuko and Iroh walked down the road under the night sky, he held his hand out under the moonlight. He felt his muscles twitch, as if his body wished for a destination other than anyplace he had in mind.

Before he realized it, they were approaching a village in the early morning light. A few locals could be seen, tackling their morning chores.

Looking around, Zuko spotted some ostrich-horses tied up near the inn. Cautiously approaching, Zuko scratched one behind the ears, getting it to calm down as he untied it, moving onto a second one in short order.

"What are you doing?" Iroh asked.

"We need to keep moving," Zuko replied harshly. Iroh raised an eyebrow.

"You aren't even going to rest?"

"We've already stayed in one place for too long."

"Scarcely an afternoon and for dinner."

"We'll need to make up for lost time." Zuko held out his hand. "Well?"

Iroh frowned, but reluctantly climbed onto the ostrich-horse offered.

 _"Stooping to ostrich-horse thievery, eh?"_ Blue mocked. _"What will they think of next?"_

 **A/N: And the story continues.**

 **Originally, I planned to release this chapter the same time as the previous one, but it needed some work at the time. Also, in case no one noticed, Toph has been added to the list of characters. I suspect that this will cause confusion for future readers when they start out.**


	15. That Creeping Feeling

The last stretch of road that led to Omashu wound up the hill. Sokka was grateful to be rid of the whackjob nomads he had been forced to endure.

"The journey was long and annoying," he said. "But now you get to see what it's really about: the destination. I present to you the Earth Kingdom city of O- Oh no."

Across the way, columns of smoke rose from the old city, and from its walls hung the banners of the Fire Nation.

I can't believe it," Aang lamented. "I know the War has spread far, but Omashu always seemed...untouchable."

"This is horrible," Katara said.

"I'm going to find Bumi."

"What?!" both siblings exclaimed.

"Aang, stop," Sokka said. "We don't even know if Bumi's still…"

"What?" Aang said, nearly shouting. "If he's still what?"

"A-around."

"I'm finding my friend."

"Not without us," Katara emphasized.

Aang hesitated, but then nodded. "Okay. Appa, Momo, stay here."

The trio climbed down into the gully that surrounded the city. There were virtually no guards patrolling the canyon floor, and those were easily dodged. On the way back up, Aang stopped beside

"What's this?" Sokka asked. "A secret passage? Why didn't we just use this last time?"

The hatch flew open, spilling out a mass of sewage, causing Katara and Sokka to cover their noses.

"Does that answer your question?" Aang asked back.

"Eww."

Sokka's disgust increased as the pushed up the tunnels. Traveling at the back, he got the full experience trudging through unmentionable waste. Aang's airbending and Katara's waterbending was not helping his disposition in the slightest.

[-]

"There really is no fathoming the depths of my hatred for this place," Mai proclaimed.

Why were they out for a walk? Right, her options were sit around all day at the palace, which was incredibly boring, or walking around to nowhere in particular, which was only slightly less so. Her mother's disposition was much sunnier.

"Mai, your father was appointed governor," Michi said. "We're like royalty here. Be happy and enjoy it."

Right. Enjoy Ukano's political ladder-climbing and whatever obscure corner of the planet it took them to. Michi would stomach anything for that man.

"I thought my life was boring in the Fire Nation, but this place is unbearably bleak. Nothing ever happens."

Mai hardly reacted when a rock shattered overhead, but stayed on guard.

"The resistance!" Michi shouted, pointing at the shadow on the landing above them.

 _That's better,_ Mai thought with a smile _._

Flicking out her arms, she fired her launchers at resistance members. Her target cleared out of the way, the bolts burying themselves into the construction materials nearby. The other guards had been alerted and were closing in on the intruders.

Mai darted towards the ladder after the soldiers, neither waiting for her mother's approval nor paying any heed to her objections if she voiced any. As she climbed up the ladder, she saw some soldiers getting flung off the ledge like toys.

 _Looks like they're having trouble. Must be interesting._

Swinging herself onto the landing, Mai fire her launcher again. A wall of water turned to ice in front of her, catching the arrows.

 _A waterbender? No matter._

Hurdling the wall, Mai was faced with a collapsing scaffold. She flung a knife at the nearest target, but he caught it with his staff. Launching another salvo of arrows, Mai saw as the intruders disappeared into the ground. They would be in the tunnels now.

 _Looks like the fun's over._ She sighed. It was back to the normal grind of things until a commotion in town drew everyone to the balcony overlooking the city.

"What is going on down there?" Ukano demanded.

"I saw some kids yesterday who were sick with pentapox," a guard said. "It must have spread!"

"Pentapox! Hmm, I'm pretty sure I've heard of that."

"Oh, this is terrible," Michi lamented.

"What should we do?" The guard asked.

"Drive them out of the city," Ukano replied. "But don't touch them! We have to rid the city of this disease!"

Mai watched with vague interest, munching on fire flakes.

"Fire flakes, dad?" she offered, holding the bowl out to him, but his mind was more focused on how it would make him look to the Fire Lord. _More for me then._

[-]

Zuko and Iroh looked at the ruffians blocking the road. The overturned cart really helped sell the image, and Zuko was as impressed as he expected to be, which was not at all.

"Nice ostrich horse you got there," one said, leaning on his spear.

"Thank you," Iroh said.

 _"He's awfully chipper now,"_ the Blue Spirit said.

"What's with this setup?" Zuko asked.

"Ah…well, the war makes for tough times. A man's gotta eat."

"We don't have money for trash like you."

"Huh? You talking back to me?"

"No, I just have no interest in paying into a shoddy 'business' such as yours."

The man let out a feral screech and lunged. Zuko leapt from the horse and grabbed the man by the neck and slammed him into the ground. Catching the next foe's arm, Zuko pulled him forward and crushed his windpipe with the side of his hand. In the time that happened, the rest were laid flat by Iroh, groaning from their injuries.

The leader looked up in horror as Zuko turned his attention to him. Black tugged at the sides of his eyes. A grin tugged at the sides of his mouth as he unsheathed his sword, resting the blade on the man's chest and began to press ever so slightly. The bandit's screams fell on deaf ears as metal pierced skin. Iroh caught his arm before any serious damage could be done.

"Zuko, no!" Iroh shouted, snapping Zuko from his blood-lust.

Looking at the whimpering man, Zuko snapped his head away in disgust.

"Leave," he said. With speed that would make any runner jealous, the man disappeared from the trail.

"Zuko…"

"I'm sorry, uncle."

He had killed before. What was it that was bothering him so much?

" _You were enjoying it,"_ the Blue Spirit explained. _"The power over someone's life, drawing out their demise slowly, painfully."_

Zuko's eyes widened.

 _Those blackouts…those were your doing?_

 _"You were the one who wanted those men dead. I was just the enabler Made it much more…entertaining."_

 _What do you want?_

 _"Now that is an interesting question."_

 _Answer me!_

 _"Not yet,"_ the Blue Spirit said. Zuko felt a stabbing pain on his forehead. _"In the meantime, why don't you ask you uncle how much blood you were covered in when you got back to the resort."_

"Zuko, is something wrong?" Iroh asked worriedly, resting a hand on the young man's shoulder. Zuko shrugged his hand off.

"I need to find out what's been happening. And I need to do it alone."

Riding off on his horse, he had no idea where he was going, just that he did not trust himself to be around another human being.

[-]

Mai watched as the palanquin was marched to the steps of the palace. At her mother's behest of her father and her own curiosity, she was the one receiving their guest. While escorted by Fire Nation soldiers, another figure walked closely alongside. The bouncy steps were a giveaway for her old friend, and from that, Mai realized who was paying them a visit.

When the palanquin was set down, Azula emerged from the curtains. Mai bowed as appropriate.

"Please tell me you're here to kill me," Mai said, only partially joking. It had practically become a running joke whenever the princess paid her a visit.

For a moment, Azula did not react, but then a smile spread across her face, matching Mai's own.

"It's great to see you, Mai," Azula said, placing her hands on the other girl's shoulders.

Ty Lee ran up and gave Mai a hug. As per usual, Mai awkwardly patted the other girl on the back.

"I thought you ran off and joined the circus," Mai thought aloud. "You said it was your calling."

"Well, Azula called a little louder."

Mai found it hardly surprising. When Azula ordered, or even asked something of you, there was no refusing her. It would be better not to pull on that particular thread.

"I have a mission and I need you both," Azula said, cutting the reunion short.

 _Case in point,_ Mai thought sardonically. On the plus side, it meant that life was about to become far more interesting for a while.

"Count me in," Mai answered firmly. "Anything to get me out of this place."

Of course, when hearing of the departure of every Earth Kingdom resident from the city, Azula called both of Mai's parents before her, taking the throne for herself like an evening chair as she heard Ukano's excuses.

"I apologize," Ukano pleaded. "You've come to Omashu at a difficult time. At noon we're making a trade with the resistance to get Tom-Tom back."

"Yes, I'm so sorry to hear about your son," Azula said, not really caring. "But really, what did you expect by just letting all the citizens leave?" She stood up and loomed over the governor, her face and tone turning harsh. "My father has trusted you with this city and you're making a mess of things!"

Both of Mai's parents prostrated themselves before her.

"Forgive me, Princess," Ukano begged.

"You stay here. Mai will handle the hostage trade so you don't have a chance to mess it up."

Mai stood up and fell in behind her old friends before taking the lead as ordered. As Mai led them to the arranged meeting point, she saw a trio of children, all dressed in Water Tribe clothes. The younger boy looked far paler than the others, had a staff in hand and a bandana around his head. Probably adopted or something else that Mai had no interest in. If she knew Azula as well as she thought, they would likely be dead or prisoners in a few minutes.

The construction crew lowered the prisoner to the landing.

"Hi, everybody!" he called down.

"You brought my brother?" Mai asked.

The older boy uncovered the bundle he was carrying. Sure enough, Tom-Tom was cooing in the boy's arms.

"He's here," the younger boy said. "We're ready to trade."

Of course, Azula had other ideas.

"I'm sorry, but a thought just occurred to me," she said. "Do you mind?"

"Of course not, Princess Azula," Mai replied.

"We're trading a two year old for a king. A powerful, earthbending king? It just doesn't seem like a fair trade, does it?"

Mai looked at her brother. He was playing happily in the older Water Tribe boy's arms, clearly in no position to come to harm as long Mai did as she was told.

"You're right," Mai replied. "The deal's off."

Singling the crew, the prisoner was hoisted back into the air, something he seemed to be find fun.

"Whhhoa!" Bumi laughed. "See you all later!"

The boy with the staff ran forward, jumping over Azula's firebending before flying up the scaffolding on a glider, circling up in a way that defied gravity.

 _What?_

"The Avatar," Azula exclaimed. "My lucky day." The princess ran to the pulley and burned the rope, grabbing on and flying up after the boy.

The other kids began to make their escape, taking Tom-Tom with them. While Mai could hardly say she _liked_ her brother, Tom-Tom was her brother, and that meant she had to rescue him.

As she gave chase on the surface, Ty Lee disappeared underneath, reemerging underneath the boy, causing him to trip when Ty Lee drove her fist into his foot. He rolled onto his back and slid to the edge, stopping just shy of potentially falling to his and Tom-Tom's death.

The girl was about to attack Ty Lee from behind until she realized Mai was throwing knives at her back. The girl, the waterbender from before Mai assumed, slapped up some planks to catch the knives before knocking them back at her, then turned her attention to Ty Lee, dragging her away from the boys.

Mai had to admit that the waterbender was good, holding both her and Ty Lee off by herself. Mai was burning through her arrows and knives fast. Bending backwards to dodge a water whip, Mai fired a volley of arrows from her ankle launcher and brought her arm up for a second salvo when a tendril of water froze around it.

With the waterbender distracted with holding Mai in place, Ty Lee jumped in and hit the waterbender's pressure points. The water fell away, freeing Mai. The Water Tribe girl tried bending to no avail.

"How are you gonna fight without your bending?" Mai taunted as she pulled out a sai. Something hit her hand, knocking her weapon away. Looking up, Mai saw a massive bison flying down to them with the older Water Tribe boy on its head.

"I seem to manage," the boy said, catching his boomerang.

Bracing for the landing, both Mai and Ty Lee were blasted back from a gust of wind from the bison's tail. Both girls recovered quickly and sprinted towards the bison, but it was already taking off.

Sigh.

Azula had given chase to the Avatar and the King with no hope of Mai or Ty Lee catching up, which would have proven to be a waste of time anyway. The king returned on his own, laughing like a maniac, confusing and terrorizing the soldiers as they hooked his prison back to the crane. Tom-Tom was still in the hands of the rebels, but it would not be up to Mai to retrieve him.

 _Might as well be ready for when Azula returns,_ Mai thought. Ty Lee followed as if they had not just been engaged in battle less than an hour before.

Returning to her quarters, Mai packed some things for the upcoming trip. Going through her things, she pulled out a locked box secreted it into her bag and slung it over her shoulder to join Azula as she returned.

 _Empty handed?_ Mai thought. _That's surprising._

On the way out of town, Azula briefed her subordinates on their mission.

"So, we're tracking down your brother and Uncle, huh?" Mai asked.

"It'll be interesting seeing Zuko again, won't it, Mai?" Ty Lee teased. Mai looked away with a slight smile.

"It's not just Zuko and Iroh anymore," Azula said. "We have a third target now."


	16. My Shadows, My Glimpse of Things to Come

Zuko woke up laying next to a tree, covered in morning dew. His back hurt and his joints were stiff. Getting up and working up his body heat with a couple breaths of fire, he saw the horse was nearby, tied up and chomping on the grass. He vaguely remembered tying up the horse the night before. Not from Blue's intervention, but because he was so tired.

The road was empty, save for himself, the horse, and some local wildlife. His journey was more of the same he had experienced the day before, riding until the horse got tired, then walking a bit before repeating the process. Without towns, he could not get anything more for the horse to eat beyond what was found on the side of the road, not that Zuko knew where any villages were in his vicinity.

Following the road, he saw a vast wooded area in front him. Actually, it was more like a swamp or a rain forest. More notably, he felt a pull towards the swamp. He would have thought it odd if it were not for the glaring lack of options in regards to alternate routes.

 _What the…?_ Zuko thought. Blue was oddly silent, a complete reversal from before. Not wanting to push the issue, Zuko pressed the horse forward.

The humidity spiked ridiculously fast as he passed the first trees into the swamp. For hours he navigated the place, dodging the deeper bodies of water. The horse was doing its best to keep up, but it was struggling to handle the terrain. Using his swords, Zuko cut through the vegetation that sagged in front of him. Before he knew it, darkness was settling in.

"Zuko…"

Hearing the echo, Zuko tried to find his unexpected company. He slipped off the horse and tied it up. He held his swords at the ready, waiting for something to jump out at him.

"Zuko…"

Straining his ears, Zuko wondered who was calling his name. It was not Blue; he preferred talking _inside_ Zuko's head. It was definitely not Uncle Iroh, as the voice was too light, too feminine.

"Zuko..."

"Who's there?" Zuko shouted.

He saw a figure stalking through the mists. In an ill-advised move, Zuko sprinted after them, barely managing to keep himself out of the muck. However, the shadow had disappeared from where it had been going.

Squinting in the limited light, Zuko searched the area, hoping to find where they might have

"Zuko."

This time he recognized the voice.

"Mother?" he asked, barely constrained hope creeping in. A thousand scenarios flew through Zuko's head.

"I'm sorry, Zuko," she said.

There she was, standing in front of him. The dark cloak he had last seen her wearing. She still had the hair ornament that was worn by the Fire Lady. Just like he remembered.

"Could it really be…?"

He reached out to touch her, but the light failed and he was left with a tall stump.

"Of course it wasn't."

Feeling fatigued, Zuko went to set up camp, chopping up branches and gathering vines to start the fire, though he had to dry most of it out before it was of any use. Once he finally got it going, it stank, but so did everything else nearby.

When fatigue sank in, he found himself a good nook in the tree nearby and fell into a deep sleep.

He was unpleasantly awoken when something slithered around his ankles. In the moment he had to look down before being hoisted in the air, he saw vines wrapping around his legs. Pulling out a knife, he slash the vines, freeing himself. It only lasted a moment before he was caught again. Roaring in anger, Zuko lit the air around him on fire, forcing the vines to retreat as he drew his swords.

The vines darted at him with impossible force, leaving divots where they struck as Zuko sidestepped them. He slashed and hacked through them again and again, rolling away when they struck from behind.

Feeling the air forced from his lungs, Zuko found himself being sent hurtling through the air, crashing into the mushy ground. He scurried to cover, only to trip up when vines ensnared his feet. Gasping out a breath of fire, he freed himself, dodging successive vines as they lashed at him, tendrils reaching for him.

He ran. He ran and ran, then ran some more, not caring where he went as long as it was away from the vine monster, hoping and praying that there was not another one out there waiting for him.

Bereft of his swords, Zuko pushed through vines and branches with his bare hands, trying not to fall into the deceptively deep waters.

In lapse of vigilance, Zuko let go of a branch too soon. It swung around, hitting him upside the head. Growling, Zuko flared off, blanketing his immediate surroundings with fire. The burns were minimal, the abundance of moisture counteracting the exiled prince's temper.

In the midst of his panting, the sound of laughter reached his ears.

"Who's there?" he called out.

More laughter.

Taking in his surroundings, Zuko raised his hands in case he got jumped, searching for the source of the voice he was hearing. The laughter echoed through the trees, bouncing off of various surfaces, reverberating in his ears and in his skull. Bounding across rocks and branches, he hunted for the other person, but the sound came from everywhere, yet nowhere at all.

"Watch'cha looking for, Zuko?" someone said suddenly.

Zuko wheeled around and looked up.

Casually and precariously resting on branch tens of feet in the air was a ghostly looking version of himself. The gold irises were surrounded with black. His skin was deathly white. His hair, a dark shade of blue. In one hand, he picked at the branch he was sitting on, the other hang loosely at his side with an empty scabbard tied to his wrist with string. He stared at Zuko mirthfully, a grin just waiting to be released.

"Who are you?" Zuko asked.

"Do you really not recognize me?" the doppelganger said with mock hurt. "Let me help you out."

Raising his empty hand, a mask materialized and was drawn over his face. The blues were darker and the whites were greyed out, but for all intents and purposes, it was the same mask Zuko had put on countless times before.

"Does this ring any bells?" The doppelganger asked.

"The Blue Spirit."

Snapping his fingers, the Blue Spirit rolled to the side and gracefully fell to the ground, landing on the mire's surface, barely disturbing the water. Casting off his mask, it dissipating the moment it left his hand, the Blue Spirit walked towards Zuko, never once causing anything more than light ripples with his footsteps.

"You've gotten sloppy, Zuko. It's utterly shameful to even think that you have such power waiting to be called upon."

"What are you doing here?"

"Of all the questions you can ask, you ask why I'm here?" Blue shrugged. "Not exactly sure what I expected in the first place, but oh well." Blue glided past Zuko as if floating on air. "To answer your question, there is something about this place that allows me to manifest a physical presence."

"Did you bring me here?"

"No, but I figured I'd take advantage of the opportunity to get your attention."

Zuko felt the air forced out of his lung and himself flying into the swamp. Blue held his pose of having thrown a punch.

"We can't be partners if this is all I'm going to be able to expect from you," Blue declared.

"Partners?"

Blue jumped into the air, pulling the empty scabbard from his hip. Realizing what was happening, Zuko rolled out of the way before Blue slammed into the swamp. Without pausing, Blue flew at him, swinging the scabbard in an almost wild pattern.

Taking a hit to the stomach, Zuko kicked out fire, then followed with a flurry of fire-jabs, which Blue handily dodged. Cackling like a maniac, Blue smacked Zuko upside the head and knocked his feet out from underneath him, then punted him across the clearing.

"Yes, Zuko. Partners. Comrades. Begrudging allies, if you will. But you aren't even trying to keep up."

Getting back to his feet, Zuko filled the air with fire. The swamp fell silent, then the inferno exploded outward, revealing a smiling Blue.

"I've been with you a long time, Zuko," Blue boasted. "I know your every move, and how to counter them all."

He then jumped and dove at Zuko, flipping to land his heel where Zuko had just jumped clear of. The splash reached the branches above their heads, splitting clear to the bottom of the swamp, leaving a crater as he took to the air again.

"Is that the best you've got? Dodging?"

Zuko gritted his teeth as he ducked under another punch, then moved to tackle. Blue folded backwards and kicked him in the face, flipping over and digging the scabbard into the swamping ground. With a smile, he flicked it in Zuko's direction, forcing him to shield his eyes while Blue closed in once more.

Reaching out blindly, Zuko jabbed out in front, only for Blue to grab his arm and sling him, face first, into the marsh. Spitting out the swamp water, Zuko jumped back to his feet and whirled around, trying to track Blue as he darted around, jabbing Zuko with the sheath. Sensing the attacks, he would bend to minimize the damage and to reposition himself to counter, however, the hits were taking their toll.

Another hit landed on Zuko's unprotected side, tossing him around as Blue sped to whatever landing zone he flew towards to intercept him. Zuko's vision went blurry from the third blow, his head swimming in a sea of stars, even after Blue let him come to a stop.

"Zuko, Zuko," Blue tsked. "You're killing me…well, if you want to be technical, I'm killing you, but you get what I'm trying to say, right?"

In frustration, Zuko flared fire around himself, but his opponent easily put distance between himself and Zuko, leaping away with inhuman speed, strength, and grace.

"You have to try a little harder than that," Blue said, hanging from the branch. He dropped back down and wreathed the scabbard in fire, then swung, the flames acting like a searing blade that lanced out towards his target.

Zuko dropped into the water then rolled, shooting quick jets of fire to keep himself form getting burned. Blue whipped the flames around like a whip, smashing the ground around Zuko as he scurried out of harms' way.

Shooting out a jet of flames, Zuko jumped through the resulting explosion. He had enough time to see Blue smiling at him before the entity disappeared from view. The next thing Zuko knew, he felt an elbow to his back.

Crashing through the swamp, Zuko struggled to catch his breath. Blue landed in front of him, scabbard swinging from below. The impact lifted Zuko off of the ground. The taste of copper tinged on his tongue.

With desperation, Zuko lashed out, swinging his fist at Blue. His opponent leaned to the side and tapped the scabbard on Zuko's ribcage, beginning a rapid chain of blows, alternating between fists, elbows, and the empty scabbard as Zuko futilely mustered a defense.

"Come on, try something," Blue shouted. "Surprise me!"

Zuko threw himself back and stumbled over a root. Kicking into the muck while regaining his balance, Zuko watched as columns of hardened earth rose up all around him, some digging into the doppelganger's side, punting him into a tree trunk.

Shocked, Zuko watched as Blue rolled back to his feet, scabbard still in hand.

"Impressive," Blue coughed. "Just what I should expect from my partner. Can't wait to see what you can do on purpose." The spirit's skin peeled off like so many sheets of paper, flaking off into the breeze. "Drat. It looks like this body's time is up." Standing to his feet the doppelganger pointed at Zuko, a grin spreading across his face. "You'll see me again. Just you wait. The next time we see each other, I expect you to be able to fight me in earnest."

The last of the doppelganger crumbled to ash and sank into the swamp, leaving Zuko in silence.

Zuko panted and sank to ground, his energy spent. He was sore almost all throughout his body, and he was certain he would be seeing some bruises materializing before long. To his gratitude, none of his bones seemed broken and he was able to drag himself back to his feet.

Then he heard laughter. Not his own, nor Blue's. It was a girl's laughter, light and playful. Zuko looked around, scanning the trees until he spotted movement a ways head.

A girl in fine clothing and a winged boar floating around her.

Definitely not someone who lived in a swamp like this, so this was a vision or something. Still, Zuko doubted that following the girl would lead him into anything worse than he had already run into.

"Wait," Zuko called. The girl responded by running away laughing. "Argh!"

Still running, he chased her. The girl would disappear behind a tree then reappear behind another.

 _Where is she leading me?_

He felt himself getting closer, almost within arm's reach.

"Got you."

The girl vanished again and the swamp was quiet again, but Zuko was still flying forward where she had been, stumbling into the marsh. Sputtering, he got his bearings again. He had been here before.

"Full circle, huh," he grumbled. "What now?"

A ways away, he saw his swords, sitting in the soggy soil, both still together. A brief pang of annoyance pulsed in Zuko's head.

" _Don't lose these again,"_ was the message sent, more read than heard.

Cleaning the muck off of his weapons and sheathing them again, he looked around. He had been through here before, but that meant that-

The vine monster emerged from the mire, immediately attacking. Zuko reactively dove out of the way, splashing into the water as he scrambled to cover. Vines shot up and around the tree, digging into the ground as Zuko fell backwards.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Zuko growled. Jumping up, he blasted at the creature again with fire.

The brief opening to the center allowed Zuko to see someone move their arms before more vines covered up the hole.

 _Someone's bending the vines! If fire doesn't seem to work…_

Zuko stopped the ground, praying that he was emulating an earthbender correctly. He was rewarded with earthen pylons spiking out of the ground, striking the vine creature and limiting its movements. Seizing the opportunity, Zuko created the largest fireball he could muster and decapitated the monster, buying him a merciful respite.

"Wait!" the vinebender shouted.

"Why are you trying to kill me!?" Zuko demanded. "Why is everyone trying to kill me? Did you call me here?"

"No."

Zuko grumbled incoherently. "Not that I'm complaining or anything, but why did you stop attacking me?"

"I have to ask: are you the Avatar?"

"What if I am?"

"Come with me," the man said with sudden urgency. He led Zuko across the roots of trees, climbing higher and higher.

"Where are you taking me?"

Glancing over his shoulder, Zuko saw how high they had climbed. From this height, he could see in every direction, clear over every other peak in the canopy.

 _The center of the swamp,_ Zuko realized.

The heart.

"Who are you?" Zuko asked.

"I protect the swamp from folks that want to hurt it, like when your temper was getting the better of you."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"You look like you could use some answers."

"And do you have any?"

"Not me, no. I reached enlightenment right here under the banyan-grove tree. I heard it calling me, just like you did."

 _Talking trees. I should probably stop being surprised by now._

"See this whole swamp is actually just one tree spread out over miles. Branches spread and sink, take root, and spread some more. One big, living organism. Just like the entire world."

"How so?"

"You think you're any different from me or your friends or this tree? If you listen hard enough, you can hear every living thing breathing together. You can feel everything growing. We're all living together, even if most folks don't act like it. We all have the same roots and we are all branches of the same tree."

"You sound like my uncle."

"Your uncle sounds like a wise man."

"Yeah."

Kneeling, Zuko placed a hand on the tree. It just…felt right. Out from him, it felt like a trail of light, weaving across the land. He found the ostritch horse, which had found a nice patch of land to graze. The next trail led to Iroh. He was sitting next to his horse, just outside the swamp along the road leading deeper into the Earth Kingdom.

 _Mother._ With newfound hope, he thought of his mother, and was rewarded with a trail. It stretched out west and across the sea. Into the direction of the Fire Nation.

Then nothing.

The feeling ended. Zuko's thoughts turned back to the present. The vinebender was still sitting where he was before.

"Thank you," Zuko said. The vinebender smiled and nodded.

"See you around," he answered, waving as Zuko departed.

Reaching out to the horse, Zuko called it to meet up with him on the road he had apparently missed. The world seemed…clearer than it had before. Not perfect by any means, but it was easier to find his way out of the swamp than it had been finding his way around when he first arrived. By the end of the day, he had arrived outside the swamp where Uncle Iroh was waiting.

"It's good to see you again," Iroh said. The pleasant smile he had hid a mountain of pain and a flood of relief.

"I got lost along the way here," Zuko replied. "There's… so much I want to tell you."

"It can wait until later. For now, let's find you a place to rest."

 _A man needs his rest_ , Zuko finished.

 **A/N: And delivered. The hints have become anvils. To the initiated, I hope it was rather obvious as to the identity of Zuko's "partner". To the uninitiated…how do you feel about crossovers?**

 **On another front: as many of you remember, Tom-Tom was returned to his parents at the end of Book Two Episode 3. What's more, that was never addressed from Mai's perspective during the last chapter here, the reason being is that she had left before Tom-Tom was ever returned. Suffice to say, in this instance, the canon ending for B2E3 is the same. I spent more time rehashing events than I would have liked, albeit from another perspective, so I wanted to wrap it up as soon as possible.**

 **TL;DR? Tom-Tom is back with his family, but Mai is not aware of this. Will touch on this later in story.  
**

 **Also:**

 **Initiated = familiar with fandom in reference**

 **Uninitiated = not familiar with fandom in reference**

 **Enough with this long author note. Gesundheit.**


	17. The Blind Bandit

_Running, keeping formation with the other members of his platoon. Each and every one of them an earthbender._

 _"Stay together," he shouted. "If any of you falls out, you're running another lap."_

Zuko shot up. He had been able to clearly see his dream, almost as if was there. Looking around, he saw that Uncle Iroh was already awake, sitting a ways away, tending to the fire.

"Uncle," Zuko said hesitantly. "There's something I need to talk to you about…"

It took a while to explain what he had been going through, but to Iroh's credit, he listened intently. By the time Zuko had finished, he merely nodded.

"So you are the next Avatar," Iroh said, more of a confirmation than a question.

"I know, quite the irony," Zuko replied. "The son of the Fire Lord, a descendant of the one who started the war, is the Avatar."

"That is one way to look at it."

"How long have you known?"

"I had suspected for a while now. Shyu was almost convinced from when he first met you."

"What happens now?"

Iroh looked contemplative for a while.

"The war has left many scars on the world. It is hurting everyone, not just the land the Fire Nation has invaded. Before you can begin, you must first master the other elements."

"What does that mean about my father?"

"What do you think it means?"

"Back at Crescent Island, I was in the same room as Aang. Roku spoke to…us, now that I think about it. Anyways, he said my father would use Sozin's comet to finish the war by summer's end. Does that mean I have to fight him, or what?"

"I can only tell you what I know, and what I know is this: my brother is not one to back down from his goals. If he wants to finish what our forbearers began, undoubtedly, you would be forced to fight at some point if the balance is to be restored."

Zuko plopped his head against his hands.

"I'm not saying it will be easy," Iroh continued "But I'm not saying you should do it alone. And there are other milestones to pass before you are a fully realized Avatar while you come to understand what path you will have to take."

"Like master the four elements."

"Yes."

"I think I've already got a good start with earthbending. Maybe I should start with finding an earthbending master. Any ideas, or do we just go searching town to town until we find one?"

Iroh stroked his beard, contemplating, remembering. "Have you tried consulting with your past lives?

"I don't think I can do that," Zuko replied, mildly frustrated.

"Why can't you learn from the past Avatars?" Iroh asked.

"I think I've caught glimpses into the past two Avatars, but none before, and I can't seem to do it voluntarily, and what I see is…broken." Zuko paused to think for a moment. "Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Aang is still alive. Do you have any ideas, uncle?"

"Not right away. This is something that will require some practice."

"Of course," Zuko muttered bitterly.

"Have you had any spiritual encounters recently?"

 _More than you would want to know,_ Zuko thought, as he nodded.

"Tell me about them. You might be able to build on your experiences."

"I first encountered my mother, or rather, a hallucination that looked like my mother. The last one I encountered was of a girl, wealthy by the looks of it, with a flying boar. Any idea what it means?"

"Hmm…visions can be difficult to interpret. It may be something that comes to you in time. The important thing is to keep your mind open."

[-]

The next morning, the duo traveled along the roads, hovering around a merchant caravan. After a long day of walking, they arrived at the next town at nightfall. Since neither of them had any money, they tried to find a place to hunker down for the night.

While searching, a piece of paper crumpled underfoot as Zuko and Iroh walked through the markets. Despite its relatively high quality, it had been discarded. Stooping down to pick it up, Zuko looked at the very official looking flyer depicting a man earthbending.

"'Master Yu's Earthbending Academy'?" Zuko read. He looked over the paper.

"What are you thinking?" Iroh asked.

"It sounds good and all, but I think I'm going to need more direct instruction for this. Something thing not constrained to one place."

Moving forward, Zuko bumped into something. Looking down, he saw a little girl who barely came up to his chest.

"Hey!" the girl barked. "Watch where you're going."

"You bumped into me," Zuko retorted.

"I was just about to avoid you when you changed directions."

Looking at the girl, Zuko saw that her eyes were somewhat glassy. Shifting his weight to a side, the girl winced.

"Could you not?" the girl protested.

"What?"

Shifting around again, the girl gave a pointed look, though she did not seem to be looking at him directly.

"That," the girl said.

"That is what's bothering you? How can you even hear that?"

"How could I not hear you when you're stomping around like a tiger-gorilla?"

"You're an earthbender?" Iroh asked.

"Yeah. What about it?"

 _She seems familiar,_ Zuko thought.

"My nephew is looking for an earthbending master."

"Is that so?" the girl asked, amused as she looked him down. "Hmm…You seem like you're pretty strong. I'll tell you what: you beat the champion in Earth Rumble VI and I'll make sure you find a master earthbender."

"Really?" Zuko asked with a measure of skepticism.

"Yup. And you better get there quickly. Seating gets really crowded before the match."

"And where is this place?"

Without looking, the girl pointed over at a large hill, just shy of mountain status, outside of town.

"It's over there," she said, as if it explained everything. "Well, better get moving."

Turning around, the girl skipped along and out of sight. Zuko looked at Iroh and shrugged.

"It's not like we have anything better to do," Zuko muttered.

[-]

"An underground fighting ring?" Zuko wondered aloud as they passed into the entrance of the arena.

"They're rather popular in the lands outside of Ba Sing Se," Iroh replied.

Navigating the crowds, Iroh sat them among the rest of the crowd, above the rows of seats that were completely empty.

"Why are we sitting so far away, uncle?" Zuko asked.

"When Ba Sing Se…" Iroh trailed off.

A man jumped from the upper levels of the arena, resulting in a barrage of rocks impacted the lower seating. Zuko filled in the blanks.

"Okay then," he concluded.

"Welcome to Earth Rumble VI!" the announcer shouted. "I am your host, Xin Fu."

"This is just a bunch of showboating," Zuko remarked dryly, to which Iroh grunted in agreement.

"The rules are simple: knock the other guy out of the ring and you win!" Xin Fu launched himself to his post overseeing the ring as the competitors stepped into view. "Round One: The Boulder versus Big Bad Hippo."

 _Why "hippo"? Ah, the teeth. I wonder what type of hippo he's supposed to be taking after._

"Listen up, Hippo:" The Boulder proclaimed loudly. "You may be big, but you ain't bad. The Boulder is going to win this in a landslide!"

The Boulder's opponent was far less verbose.

"Hippo mad!"

 _This is going to be a long evening,_ Zuko thought. _Might as well learn what I can._

Hippo began jumping up and slamming into the ring, rocking it side to side. For a moment, the Boulder looked as if he was about to fall off the edge, but made a last-minute support and chucked it at Hippo, who was celebrating a little too early.

An opening made, The Boulder lifted his opponent into the air with earth, then dramatically pitched him off the ring, securing the win.

Zuko was not sure whether to laugh or vomit at the next challenger, a horrendous parody of a Fire Nation citizen, dubbed Fire Nation Man. Iroh was more appalled at the man's invented accent. Both cast cringing looks at each other. Thankfully, The Boulder interrupted Fire Nation Man's…performance, knocking him out of the competition.

The next contenders were more bearable: a guy who tunneled through the ground like a gopher, a guy who wore a mask named the Gecko, and some crazy guy who wore war-paint known as Headhunter. Each of them were knocked out in flashy moves. While they clearly had skills regarding earthbending, he was almost dreading who would be hailed as the champion of this bunch of clowns.

After each bracket was cleared, the lights dimmed. Xin Fu began introducing the final round quietly before building up the crescendo.

"Now, the moment you've all been waiting for: The Boulder versus your champion, the Blind Bandit!"

"No way," Zuko breathed amidst the cheering crowd. _Is she actually blind?_

Lo and behold, the little girl from before walked out onto the ring, the champion's belt hoisted over her head, flanked by two women who looked remarkably out of place standing next to the prepubescent girl, who barely came up to their waists.

Passing the belt off and removing her cape, both taken by the attendants, the girl stepped out of the spotlight. Evidently, Zuko was not the only one who found her to be out of place.

"The Boulder feels conflicted about fighting a young, blind girl."

"Sounds to me like you're scared, Boulder," the Bandit jeered back, mockingly assuming a scared position, holding her hands over her ears.

"…The Boulder is over his conflicted feelings and is going to bury you…in a rock-alanche!"

"Whenever you're ready, the Pebble." She threw her head back in laughter, ringing in Zuko's ears.

 _Could it be…?_

"It's on!" The Boulder declared.

As The Boulder stepped forward, the Blind Bandit kicked the ground. The floor of the ring shifted around, forcing The Boulder's legs into an…uncomfortably wide position. The audience winced in sympathy for the man's discomfort.

"OOOO!" The Boulder screeched.

Her opponent paralyzed with pain, the Blind Bandit knocked The Boulder out of the ring with a trio of stalagmites. Apart from some groaning and twitches, the challenger was out like a light.

"Your winner, and still the champion: The Blind Bandit!" At Xin Fu's proclamation, the Bandit grinned. The announcer landed next to her, holding her hand up one hand while holding a sack of gold in the other. "To make things a little more interesting, I'm offering up this sack of gold pieces to anyone who can defeat the Blind Bandit!"

Silence.

"What? No one dares to face her?

"I'll do it," Zuko said, loudly enough to be heard over the murmuring crowd. Standing up, he made his way to the ring, keeping his eyes focused on the Bandit. Xin Fu looked amused as he launched himself back to his perch.

Climbing the steps, the Blind Bandit leveled a smug grin at him.

"Can we skip the trash talking and get straight to the point?" Zuko said.

The girl seemed taken aback, but recovered quickly.

"Fine, you lily-livered wimp."

Compared to the material Azula brought to bear, that insult was rather tame.

Stepping forward, Zuko kicked the ground. The ground shattered where his foot hit, scattering across the ring vaguely in the Blind Bandit's direction.

She barely moved as she deflected the shrapnel.

Pressing the attack, Zuko jumped and dodged around the girl's counter-barrage, closing the gap between the two of them. He launched a kick at her head, but a stone dome shot up around her, blocking him. The walls shot off, shoving him back several feet before he broke through.

Bobbing around a plethora of stone columns, he jumped up and landed on the dome, cracking it with his heel. Before he could jump back off, he was launched into the air. Spinning mid-flight, Zuko oriented himself to the ceiling and grabbed hold on the stalactites.

The Blind Bandit looked up at him, head tilted slightly to the left.

"How blind is she?" Zuko pondered quietly. "Well, here goes nothing."

Zuko launched himself back down. A spattering of missiles came his way, missing by a hair. When his feet hit the ring, rather than shattering his ankles, the ring exploded except for the area around the Bandit. The ceiling shook, the stalactites breaking free.

Frantically dodging, Zuko saw as the Blind Bandit slapped them aside at the last second, then immediately smacked him out of the ring like the Boulder. The wall cracked behind him and the seats in the stands jostled their occupants out of position.

 _That's going to hurt in the morning,_ Zuko though as his consciousness faded out.

 **A/N: Hellos! Sorry about the delays in updating. Between computer issues, a broken tablet, extended travels, and overall being off my groove, it's been a while since I was able to sit down and write in a concerted block, especially for this story. Most of what I wrote this past week was either well into the future for this project, or for another project entirely.**

 **In other news, as of this posting,** _ **Finding Yourself**_ **has exceeded 9,000 hits! *cue DBZ jokes***

 **Anywho, R &R and I'll see you next time.**


	18. Misadventures and Imminent Disaster

Zuko's ears were ringing as he regained consciousness. Sitting up, his head began to swim, still throbbing from whatever injuries he had sustained.

"Easy," Iroh said. "You took quite a nasty fall."

"Where did she go?" Zuko growled out.

"No clue." "How are you feeling? You took quite a dive off the arena."

"I'm fine," Zuko spat out before schooling his composure. Looking around, he saw that most of the crowd had already filed out of the arena.

Xin Fu snorted. "So you're alive? Good. It makes the audience squeamish when challengers die."

"Thank you for your understanding," Iroh said genially.

"Since you're finished, get out of my ring."

No sooner had they passed the threshold of the entrance did portal slam shut behind them.

"I need to find that girl again," said Zuko.

"How do you plan to do that?"

Dropping to a knee, Zuko placed his palm on the ground. A trail of light wove back towards town.

"When did you learn this?" Iroh asked.

"Back in the swamp," Zuko replied. "It's faint, but I have a general idea of where she went."

"What about the horses?"

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose.

"We'll find a place to put them and follow the trail."

Walking back into town, a few curious glances were thrown their way. They arrived at the stables where an old man sat with his feet on the table.

"Excuse me," Zuko asked. "Are your

"You're that kid that went up against the champ!"

"Yes," Zuko clipped. "Yes, I am."

"You took a nasty dive at the end. How you feeling?"

"Fine. Can you put up our ostrich-horses for the day? We have some business to take care of."

"Sure, sure. I might even be able to work out a discount for a good performance last night."

"Your generosity is most appreciated," Iroh said.

"No problem."

It took several minutes to work out everything, but they got two days instead of one. Leaving the horses, they followed the trail out of town until they came up a large estate.

White stone walls capped with slanted tiles ran along completely around the perimeter. The entrance was denoted with a large opulent gate with guards standing post. Without weapons, Zuko pegged them as earthbenders. What caught his eye in particular was the family sigil emblazoned above the gate.

"The flying boar," Zuko whispered to himself. Iroh raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

The two walked up to the gate outside the view of the guards. Confident that the coast was clear, Zuko jumped onto the wall and lowered himself to the grass. Iroh did the same, which was surprising, given his stature.

Immediately next to the wall were some trees. Looking beyond them were rows of bushes and neatly manicured grounds. A still pond was on the far side, large enough to accommodate a small bridge.

While taking in the scenery, a quick thump underneath their feet threw both men into the air, leaving Zuko perfectly inverted against the wall.

"Ow," Iroh groaned. "That really hurt my tailbone."

Zuko grumbled incoherently as the Bandit walked up to them. Surprisingly, she was in a fancy and, by Zuko's reckoning, expensive dress.

"What are you doing here, Thunder-Toes?" she asked playfully.

"Enjoying the scenery, smug-mug," Zuko answered sarcastically, making his displeasure known. "Why do you think I'm here?"

The Bandit rest her hands on her hips, smirking as she watched Zuko right himself.

"Trespassing," she answered.

"Tres- You were supposed to find me a master."

"You didn't win. I remember saying I'd help you find an earthbending master if you beat the champion."

"I still need an earthbending master."

"Too bad, Thunder-toes. Better luck next time."

"Listen-"

Zuko stepped forward, when the girl kicked at the ground gently. While the ground shifted, his instincts kicked in and he flipped off. When he landed, another column of earth shot at his stomach, but he blocked it with his hand, crushing the rock to powder, only to receive a follow-up which knocked him through the wall.

Growling, Zuko jumped back to his feet, which slipped underneath him, causing him to face-plant. When he looked up again, some guards came into view, quickly rallying around the Bandit.

"Inform Master Lao at once," one barked before turning his attention to his charge. A man in deep green robes approached, making straight for the Bandit.

"Toph, what happened?" he asked.

"I was almost kidnapped, but these men saved me!" She softened her voice and played the distressed damsel to the hilt, easily allaying the worries of her attendant.

"You know your father doesn't want you wandering the grounds without supervision, Toph."

Zuko was dumbfounded, the guards looked at the disheveled duo with suspicion.

"Who are you?" one of the guards demanded, pointing a spear at Zuko's face.

"We are just some travelers passing through," Iroh said innocently. "My nephew heard the scuffle and vaulted the wall."

Barely managing to stop any reaction of his own, Zuko was equal parts amazed, surprised, and disconcerted at how easy it was for the man he had grown up knowing as an upstanding and virtuous sort to come up with a lie at the drop of his hat and spin a story around it.

"Come with us," the guard ordered.

[-]

The Beifong estate was abuzz. Apparently, some ruffians had tried to enter his home and kidnap his daughter. An attempt that was thwarted by some strangers. The groundskeepers were already sealing the hole punched into the wall and repairing the damage left from the scuffle.

Lao had always been guarded and vigilant, moreso with his family and holdings. For a pair of travelers to have been close by during an attempt. What's more, the would-be kidnappers were nowhere to be found with no trail that they had been able to find. He was immensely suspicious of these good Samaritans, but when Toph had explained what had happened, he held off any accusations.

 _Best to cover all bases,_ he thought to himself. He would invite them to dinner and house them for a day or two, but have his guards keep an eye on them. The rest would keep watch for any other attempts from outside.

Smoothing out his robes, he entered the waiting room where his "guests" were being entertained by Master Yu.

The two men before him were disheveled, clearly travelers by their garb and gear, road worn. The younger man had a pronounced burn scar on his face. The older man had a soldiers bearing to his stance, though it looked like it had atrophied somewhat over the years. Both men bowed low when they saw him.

"Thank you for protecting my daughter," he said, "I am Lao Beifong. Welcome to my home."

"We are honored to be your guests. I'm Mushi, and this is my nephew, Lee."

Lao smiled. "I invite you to stay for the night. Surely you must be exhausted from today's events."

Both men looked genuinely surprised by the offer.

 _Could it merely be skilled acting?_ Lao thought. _Hmm…We will see how they hold up over dinner._

[-]

During The guests had been allowed to bathe and were provided some clothes to wear to dinner. A significant step up from their previous outfits.

"What brings you to Gaoling?" Lao asked after everyone had had a chance to eat some.

"Looking for an earthbending teacher," Zuko replied. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Toph narrow her eyes at him slightly.

"And your uncle? He isn't an earthbender?"

"Oh, no," Iroh said with a laugh. "I'm just keeping my nephew company during our travels."

"Hmm…and how has your search panned out so far?"

"Poorly," Zuko replied. "I heard about Earth Rumble VI, so I tried my hand at it. It didn't work out really well, though."

"Such a barbaric practice," Poppy said with a sniff of disdain.

"There are other ways to find earthbending teachers," Lao said. "In fact, Master Yu runs an academy in the city. He is the finest teacher in the land. He's been teaching Toph since she was little."

"I saw the flyers," Zuko answered. "While it looks impressive, I think I'd need someone who could move around more. My uncle and I do a lot of traveling."

"I see. Then have you considered joining the army? You would not be wanting for training and experience."

"I would prefer to get a basic grasp from an actual master before considering that. Most of what I know is self-taught and sloppy."

"But they say the Avatar has been found," Poppy said

"How long until he finishes the war? The sooner the better, I say. This mess has gone on long enough."

The rest of dinner was more discussion on recent events and other mundane happenings. Zuko puzzled out the disparity between Toph and the Blind Bandit until it was time to retire for the evening.

During the next morning, servants bustled about to the point that Zuko had started ignoring passing footsteps until one set stopped at his and Iroh's door.

"Thanks for covering for us yesterday," Zuko said.

"Thanks for going along with it," Toph replied, leaning on the doorframe. "How about we call a truce?"

Zuko looked over to Iroh, who merely shrugged.

"Fine," he answered, "Truce."

"We can talk in the grounds. Preferably away from prying ears."

Toph led him outside through some of the bushes.

"How did you find me?" Toph asked.

"Apparently, thinking of someone I've met lets me track them down."

"Hmm…Why do you need an earthbending master? You're not half bad from what I saw. Certainly better than those sissies from Earth Rumble Six. None of those guys can take a serious punch."

"I'm short on time."

"Not dying, are you?"

"No."

Finding a comfortable rock, Toph sat down. "Speaking of which. How did you survive?"

"What?"

"I saw you hit the wall. Should have been some broken bones at least, or maybe a broken skull."

"My uncle _has_ said I can be a bit thick-headed. And you're not entirely blind, are you."

Toph blew at the hair hanging in front of her face.

"I was born blind, but I've never had trouble seeing. I see with earthbending. It's kind of like seeing with my feet. I feel the vibrations in the Earth, and I can see where everything is. You, that tree, even those ants."

"And you don't want your parents knowing?"

"They wouldn't understand. They've always treated me like I'm helpless."

"Better than being weak."

"Really? Someone called you weak?"

"My father was disappointed in my bending ability for years. It wasn't until recently that I was capable of what you saw. Until I left home, he was embarrassed that I even existed."

"I hear ya. My parents haven't let me be seen by anyone outside the walls. They're so overprotective that I don't really know anyone not working for my father." She leaned back. "It must be nice to be able to travel, no one telling you what to do all the time."

"Not when you have nothing to go back to. I…can't go home right now. And I'm not even sure if I really want to."

"Is it because of your father?"

A breath hitched in Zuko's chest.

"Yeah," he muttered quietly. Eyes widening, the feeling of burning pins and needles suddenly wracked Zuko's body and a familiar tearing forced him to his knees.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Breathing heavily through his teeth, Zuko looked up at Toph. "This isn't good."

 **A/N: Ominous cliffhanger! Dun, dun, dun… And if that last bit of the chapter was confusing, a good question to ask yourself is: "what are Aang, Katara, and Sokka doing right now?" (Hint: look up S2E5).**

 **Anyways, this was a troublesome chapter to write. Dialogue can be such a pain to hammer out, which is why this chapter took as long as it did.**

 **One thing that I wish I got to see more of in canon is interactions between Zuko and Toph. They come from similar backgrounds with a number of parallels and contrasts that I thought would have been fun to address and explore. Plus, they're the two most stubborn members of TLA era Team Avatar.**

 **In other news: I finished reading through Bleach.**

" **Why is this relevant" you ask? Because Blue's similarities to Ichigo's inner hollow are not an accident. Once we're finished with** _ **Finding Yourself**_ **, I plan on having a continuation/crossover with Bleach…with significant reengineering and cannibalizing of canon and filler.**

 **In the meantime, we're sticking with the Avatar universe (hence why this hasn't already been shuffled over to the crossover section).**

 **Like the idea? Hate it? Drop a review or send me a message.**

 **Ta-ta!**


	19. Insurance Does Not Cover This

Wind whipped around the Beifong estate, a veritable whirlwind stretching to the sky that began to darken with each passing second. Zuko clutched his head, eyes beginning to flicker.

"Oh no," he panted.

"What's happening?" Toph asked.

"Not again." A blast of wind pulsed away from Zuko, knocking Toph away. The ground around him compressed and sunk about a foot below the surface. Iroh was on scene in short order, sliding next to Toph. Lao emerged from the house and guards began to gather as close as they dared.

"What's wrong?" Iroh asked worriedly.

"I don't know," Toph replied, "We were talking when he suddenly went crazy."

"I…can't….move…" Zuko haltingly growled out.

A blast of energy shoved everyone back, with more pulses reaching out further with every wave.

"We need to get him out of here," Iroh warned.

"How do you propose that?" Zuko asked incredulously.

"I'll do it," Toph affirmed.

Before anyone could object, Toph ran over to Zuko.

"Toph!" Lao cried out, inaudible above the din.

Pressing towards Zuko, Toph grabbed the young man's shoulder and disappeard, leaving a doublet of craters in their wake.

Sliding away from the Beifong estate on a sled made of stone, Toph drove off to the nearest open area she could think of, rushing up the hill that overlooked the surrounding countryside. When they reached the top, Toph dropped Zuko and zipped off just in time to avoid being slapped away by another wave.

"You might want to get away from this," Zuko shouted, his voiced echoed.

Almost without thinking, Toph obeyed, retreating from a primal force of nature as the pulses off of him increased in tempo.

The buildup of energy spread out from the hilltop, the sky darkened as clouds were contrarily drawn to the epicenter. His eyes completely alight, Zuko gritted his teeth before emitting a howl that echoed across the hillsides, ethereal in quality and carrying across the land like no Earthly sound should have.

The energy continued to build up to such a point that everyone was struggling to remain standing, as though the air had become suddenly heavy. Just as knees were beginning to buckle, the pressure subsided and, for a moment, there was silence.

Then the hilltop shattered and large fissures traveled down its slopes, spitting clouds of dust into the air. The clouds in the sky scattered and disappeared as arid heat radiated off from Zuko's location, slowly cooling off.

Toph rolled back to her feet, her senses jostled. Regaining her bearings, she approached carnage, bridging gaps and diverting any hazardous flows along the way. At the top, she saw Zuko kneeling at the epicenter amidst cooling magma, slowly getting his breathing under control. Flakes of…something fell off of his face, dispersing to the wind.

"Wow," Toph exclaimed. "You sure made a mess up here. You always do stuff like this?"

"More often than I'd like," Zuko replied blasély

"So long as I get a good heads up before it happens again, I'm good. Now come on. Let's get back home."

Toph led him down the rearranged slope and back to the estate, where Iroh met them as soon as they stepped into view. Spears were pointed and earthbenders prepared to attack the guests.

"Toph, get away from them," Lao commanded.

"What?"

"I said to get away from them. They are not safe to be around."

Reluctantly, Toph moved back to her father's side.

"I have no idea who you really are, but you have jeopardized my family's safety. Guards, deal with them."

"NO!" Toph roared. Launching herself into the air, she landed between the guards and guests. Walls of earth shoved the guards back, barely missing Lao by a hair, ruffling his robes. In in the space of a few seconds, the guards were immobilized, incapacitated, or "convinced" to keep their distance. The Beifong patriarch's eyes widened with surprise, disbelieving his daughter's outburst. Filing the event away for the moment, he addressed the next issue.

"What was it that you just did?" Lao demanded, giving Zuko and Iroh a pointed look.

Zuko scratched his head. "Uh…"

"It's complicated," Iroh answered hastily.

"What have you been teaching my daughter?!" Lao fumed, turning to a gob-smacked Yu, who quickly gathered himself with all the dignity one could when faced with the wrath of a noble.

"I only taught her the most basic techniques and breathing exercises," Yu defended.

Looking at his guests, Lao clamped down on his anger and smoothed his features.

"We will continue this discussion in private."

Brought before the master and the mistress of the household, Zuko and Iroh waited at the back of the room as Toph explained what had happened. Though Master Yu was relieved that he would not be facing the family head's wrath, he was frankly embarrassed at how easily his student had hidden her talents. Lao was pensive and still as his daughter regaled him an abridged version of her earthbending experience, even mentioning how she and Zuko, quite literally, ran into each other.

"Dad, I know it's probably hard for you to see me this way. But the obedient little helpless blind girl that you think I am just isn't me. I love fighting. I love being an earthbender, and I'm really, really good at it. I know I've kept my life secret from you, but you were keeping me secret from the whole world. You were doing it to protect me, but I'm twelve years old and I've never had a real friend. So, now that you see who I really am, I hope it doesn't change the way you feel about me."

"Of course it doesn't change the way I feel about you, Toph," Lao answered. "It's made me realize something."

"It has?"

"Yes. I've let you had far too much freedom. From now on you'll be cared for and guarded twenty-four hours a day."

Zuko inwardly flinched. _This was my fault_.

"Please escort our guests out."

Before the guards took position behind him, Zuko strode over to Toph.

"I can't do anything about it right now," he said. "But at some point, I'll pay my debt to you." Lao stared daggers at the young man as he withdrew from the room. "I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you. I'll be on my way now."

"Goodbye, Lee," she whispered.

On the walk back to town, Zuko lost track of time and retrieving the horses was a somber affair. Not a word spoken between the two fugitives as their steeds fed and watered. Leading their mounts to the road out of town, they prepared to set out.

"We'll find another earthbending teacher for you," Iroh reassured.

"I doubt it," Zuko replied. He had wracked his brain for any way to train with Toph, but he could not come up with anything more than what he had already offered. _What was the point of the vision? It obviously had her in it. Unless…_

"Wait up!" Toph called out, snapping Zuko from his reverie.

Wearing simple traveling clothes and a decently sized bag slung over her shoulder, Toph jogged down the road after them. Her championship belt was secured around her waist and a smile was on her face.

"How did you find us?" Zuko asked.

"You're really noisy, Thunder-Toes. Following you was a piece of cake."

"And why are you even here? I thought your father didn't want anything to do with us."

"My father changed his mind."

Zuko could smell the lie off of her, but wasn't willing to call her out. Neither was Iroh.

"Besides," Toph continued. "You owe me a debt don't you? And you still need an earthbending teacher. We can pay each other back."

"Let's get on the road then," the old man said. "We can't have him change his mind again."

[-]

It was late in the night for a summons to the Beifong estate. The house was dark and quiet. Hardly any servants were to be seen across the grounds.

Yu had had more unpleasant events in recently than he was comfortable with. When it concerned his employer, an extremely wealthy noble, any mistake could leave him ruined and penniless on the optimistic side, or on the pessimistic side, imprisoned or executed.

Being "summoned" in the middle of the night made him more wary than he had ever been before.

The low lights shadowed Lao Beifong's features, highlighting his grim expression etched onto his face.

"My daughter has been kidnapped," he said in a low voice. "Any resources needed to bring her home alive and unharmed are at your disposal."

A pair of servant deposited a large chest and left the hatch. Yu looked at the chest of gold with widened eyes. He had seen a fair sum of money in his life, but never this much at one time.

"Your discretion in the matter is paramount," Lao added.

Yu gulped nervously. He was going to need some help brining the wayward child back.

[-]

It had been a while since Zuko had ended up in the Black Room of his dreamscape. This time, he could clearly see Blue sprawled out on a couch with a self-satisfied smirk on his face.

"If you wanted to summon me, you could have asked nicely," he said, amused.

"Was what happened your fault?" Zuko asked.

"Nah. That was all you. Well, you and whatever the other kid was doing."

"What?"

"And all of that done with only half the Avatar's power without even really touching mine."

"What other kid?"

"Aang. I imagine he's been rather busy to be effecting you this much. You can ask him when you run into him again. In the meantime, keep up the good work. Remember: I'm watching you."

 **A/N: Sorrynotsorry about the cliffhanger. I considered using about half of what you see for this chapter in the last one, but it felt like a good place to stop and I did not want to delay the previous chapter's release.**

 **I'm already working on the next chapter. Provided I can keep up with this speed, I can keep up with a weekly release schedule, but we'll have to wait and see.**

 **Thanks for the feedback, and we'll see you next time.**


	20. A Town Not Big Enough

Dash

Behind them were miles of barren badlands. Before them was much of the same. The terrain had few deviations, and more than a few piles of various discarded goods. A well-traveled road in the past that had evidently harrowed more than a few who had traversed it.

"Why couldn't we get another horse?" Zuko asked, forgoing propriety. Toph was clinging to Zuko's waist, trying not to fall off.

"Because I wouldn't be able to ride it, dummy," Toph replied gruffly. "I see with earthbending, remember? Can't see very well when I'm not on earth."

"And you don't want to walk?"

"Not when there's a perfectly good horse to ride."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Their travels came to an abrupt stop at a narrow canyon. Narrow enough for the name, but still too wide to merely jump. More pressing was that the normal crossing, a swing bridge, was in a grievous state of disrepair. If anyone had been here recently, they probably had flown over the thing or found some other way around it.

"I can do it," Toph said, sliding off the back of the horse.

"And how do you plan on getting the horses across?"

Stomping her foot, a new bridge made of stone formed, far more stable than the one scarcely a few feet to the side.

"There," Toph declared, clearly pleased with herself. "Happy?"

Wordlessly climbing back on, Zuko took the lead across the bridge, which had the benefit of being remarkable sturdy, something he had no intention of testing by directly placing a foot on the thing.

"So, do we even have a plan on what we're doing?" Toph asked. Zuko glanced over his shoulder at the girl.

"We need to find some…friends," Zuko replied.

"That's pretty vague."

"It's enough."

"How do you plan on finding them? Did they tell you to meet at the next boulder or something?"

"I have my ways."

"Oooh," Toph drawled. "Pardon me, oh mysterious tracker. How could I ever doubted you?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I'm still working on a plan."

"Right."

"Perhaps we should rest the horses and ourselves," Iroh offered.

"It's only midday," Zuko retorted.

"Yes, but with tempers getting frayed-"

"I get it!" Breathing deeply, Zuko reined in his emotions. "We'll stop, have tea, or whatever."

Hopping off the horses for a rest, every stretched and soothed their muscles and joints. Sniffing the air in synchrony, Zuko and Toph guided towards the apparent source. Iroh shook his head, patting the ostrich-horses down and leading them after the duo.

"Food…" Toph groaned dreamily. Climbing just over a rise, the spotted a young couple around a fire. The woman was rested against the lone tree and its miniscule shade while the man heated a meager dinner over the crackling fire.

A rumbling his stomach, Zuko rethought any hypothetical plan when he realized the woman was pregnant, quietly resting a hand on Toph's shoulder to keep her from moving towards them.

Noticing them, the man stood up and waved at them.

"Does that mean we can go to them?" Toph asked. Shrugging, Zuko approached the young couple.

"It's been a long time since we've seen anyone on this road," the man said. "I'm Than. This is my wife, Ying." The woman smiled warmly and nodded her greeting. Despite his polite demeanor,

"I'm Lee."

"I'm Toph."

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

Zuko glanced over to see Iroh bringing up the horses. "That's my uncle Mushi."

Than inclined his head, to which Iroh reciprocated. Leading them to the fire, Than gestured for them to sit.

"What brings you out this way?" the old general asked.

"We're trying to reach Ba Sing Se."

"Are you refugees, too?" The lingering pause was a sufficient answer. "How soon are you expecting your little one?"

The tension eased from the man's shoulders slightly.

"Hopefully, after we reach Ba Sing Se," Ying answered. "Once we've set ourselves up."

Zuko noticed Toph roll her eyes at the mention of the city.

"We can't spare much, but it might be enough to keep you going."

"You are most kind," Iroh replied.

Once stomachs were settled, Zuko prepared to offer the couple a chance to get off their feet, but was waved off.

"Don't let us slow you down. We haven't been harassed since we started, and you're the first people we've seen out here."

"Safe travels, friends." Iroh called back, waving at the couple slowly shrinking behind them.

The road kept going, leading to an old town in the middle of nowhere.

It was a decrepit place. Buildings were worn down with signs of numerous patch-jobs. Whatever had brought these people to settle the land was most likely long gone.

"This place is a dump," Toph muttered. Though Zuko agreed, he did not voice this.

"Let's get feed for the horses and water for ourselves, then we keep moving.

The presence of some soldiers meant that having people here meant something, though Zuko could not, for the life of him, figure out.

Some kids with scuffed knees ran around, chasing each other through the dirt streets, dodging adults.

Reaching the market, Iroh went about purchasing food for them and their steeds. Toph watched as the kids chucked an egg at the man's head. Zuko saw it out of the corner of his eye, but kept his focus elsewhere.

The soldiers, once they managed to sort themselves out and recover, they looked to Zuko.

"Hey!" the leader called out. "You throwing eggs at us, stranger?"

"No," Zuko answered. _More idiots?_ he thought.

"You see who did?"

"No," he said again, hoping to avoid an altercation. Getting Blue to calm down before was hard enough under normal circumstances. With someone practically begging for a beatdown, he did not want the possibility of being goaded into a fight.

"Is that your favorite word?" one of the other soldiers asked.

"Egg had to come from somewhere," the leader said.

"You're right," Zuko replied. "Maybe a chicken flew overhead."

When the store owner placed the bags on the counter, the thugs moved up to the counter to swipe the goods from Iroh.

"The army-"

Zuko grabbed the leader's arm and shoved him backwards, stumbling onto his rump. Before anyone could react, Toph drove her heel into the ground, shoving the rest of the thugs into the middle of the street. His cohorts picked him up, though their assistance was quickly shaken off.

"Why you-"

"Don't try to steal our stuff," Toph proclaimed.

Zuko rested his hand on his sword, giving a pointed glare as an extra measure, hoping to avoid an altercation. Getting Blue to calm down had been hard enough as it was, let alone when someone was practically begging for a beatdown.

After a moment, the lead thug sneered and began to walk off.

"Let's go. We don't need to waste our time with this punk."

The storeowner watched as the thugs left, then let out a breath he had been holding.

"Gow and his men have been terrorizing us for years, and you three just walk up and put him in his place." Shaking his head, he glanced to the sides. "They're supposed to protect us, but they're just a bunch of thugs."

"I can tell."

Walking away, they were confronted by the egg-throwing culprit.

"Thanks for not ratting me out," the kid said. Before anyone could say anything, he snatched the leads from their hands "Come on, the whole town owes you for what your guys did."

[-]

"What are we going to do, Gow?" Bo asked.

"Go to any of the nearby towns and get the garrison. We have some...rebelling citizens that need to be put in check."

Bo smiled savagely.

[-]

 _Someday, I am going to find a way to avoid these situations,_ Zuko mentally pledged.

Once again, he had been dragged to a stranger's dinner table. He was certain Blue was amused based on the brief pulse of emotion he got from the spirit. Toph and Iroh were happily eating. Not that the meal was very substantial, just well prepared. Lee, the boy who had dragged them to his home was quick to tell an embellished tale of what had happened earlier that day. After the initial worry from the adults, they gave their own thanks.

Somehow, he got his arm twisted into helping repair the barn with Gansu, lee's father. While the missed hammer strikes did not hurt, he had no clue what he was doing and made of mess of things.

Now they were chattering about this, that, and the other. Toph seemed content just to eat and listen. And while Lee seemed like a good kid, he would never stop bothering him, asking him questions about where they were from and the like. Iroh was helping Sela, Lee's mother, in the house, so Zuko tried to redirect the boy to Toph, who sent him back with more questions.

It was a small relief when night came. Sleeping in the barn, Iroh snored soundly away, and Toph had elected to sleep outside.

A creaking of the door alerted Zuko to an intruder, but he quickly recognized it as Lee and pretended he was asleep. The boy slinked over to his back and pulled out the swords.

 _Crap._ Zuko did not want to know what Sela would do if her son hurt himself.

When Lee had left, Zuko dusted himself off and followed. The pigs had apparently grown used to his presence and only made some light noises as he trailed the boy out into the field.

He watched as Lee tried to swing them out, independently of each other, undoubtedly using them against an imagined foe. Probably Gow and his men.

"You're holding them wrong," Zuko said, making his presence known.

Lee jumped slightly before shrinking in embarrassment and sheepishly giving them back.

"Keep in mind, these are dual swords. Two halves of a single weapon. Don't think of them as separate, because they're not. They're just two different parts of the same whole."

Unbidden, memories of his fight with Blue came to mind. _Two parts of the same whole._

"I think you'd really like my brother Sensu," Lee said. "He used to show me stuff like this all the time."

Zuko's lips twisted into something resembling a smirk as he remembered what things were like with his cousin.

Lu Ten had been the one to work with him in the earlier years, as Zuko rarely saw any children his age besides Azula and her friends, much less anyone who stayed around for any length of time.

His cousin had started him on firebending before he had left for the war. Before he left to fight and die.

A frown returned to Zuko's face as he returned the blades to their sheath.

"You better get to bed," Zuko said.

Returning to the barn, Zuko spotted an earthen tent erected a short distance away. Shaking his head, he did his best to go back to sleep.

[-]

Morning came sooner than Zuko would have liked, but he got prepared to depart soon enough.

"Thank you for your hospitality," Iroh said, giving a polite bow.

As they were saying their goodbyes, the pigpen erupted into a cacophony of grunts and squeals as someone came running down the road. Gansu stepped forward, catching the man as he stumbled across the property.

"Goren? What's wrong? What happened?

Gasping, the man pointed towards Zuko. "We were told to turn them over to Gow or they'd destroy the town!"

 **A/N: L-Witty back in town, yo! *clears throat***

… **Ahem.**

 **Anyways, one of the reasons for delay is that the muse has been wandering around a bit lately, mostly on parts of this story that won't be seen until** _ **much**_ **later. Also, Naruto.**

 **Secondly, I got hooked on Minecraft again.**

 **In other news, while it may not seem this way, The Apocalyptian Saga is still my primary story, A:FY being the secondary. The sooner I get along with both of these projects, the sooner I can get on to other projects I want to work on.**


	21. High Noon Showdown

_What are we doing?_ Zuko wondered, riding back to town. _Because this is_ our _fault,_ he reminded himself. Hands brushing against the hilt of his swords, Zuko felt them thrum at his touch, anticipation building up.

"Got a plan, Thunder-Toes?" Toph asked.

"Not yet," Zuko replied.

In the distance, Zuko spotted a scout riding back to town. Inhaling deeply, Zuko turned to Iroh.

"Uncle, when we get closer, get the horses back to town."

"What?" Iroh exclaimed.

"This is obviously going to turn violent. I'd rather not have our horses injured in the process of such an exchange. Not when we still have a long way to go."

"And what do you plan on doing?"

"I want to draw their attention away from the town itself. Can you help with protecting them?"

Iroh grimly nodded, inwardly pleased at his nephew's mentality, even if he did not entirely agree with the strategy.

"Toph, you'll go with him."

"No way," Toph protested. "If those wimps want a rematch, I'm not missing it." Zuko began to open his mouth when Toph cut him off. "Besides, I think these idiots want both of us there."

"…Fine."

Riding in silence, the town grew over the horizon as the sun climbed higher into the sky. Dismounting, Zuko watched Iroh lead the horses off before continuing on foot with Toph. Marching to the outskirts, Gow and his friends clustered near the main drag of town.

"So you actually showed up," Gow chuckled.

"Yes, we're here," Zuko called back. "What do you want?

Gow grinned savagely. "Why, you've dishonored the army. Incited a rebellion among the good people of the Earth Kingdom."

"You're bullies. You and anyone who is aiding you. If attacking a village under your protection when they haven't done anything to you caused you dishonor, I would not be averse to ending your shame." Resting his hand on his swords, Gow nearly flinched back.

"Kill them all," Gow ordered.

 _Figures,_ Zuko thought balefully.

Toph pulled a wall up in between them and their foes, blocking the initial attacks. Drawing his sword, Zuko jumped over the barricade, just missing Gow, but landing with enough force to crack and shake the ground, sending the horses into a panic, many of them throwing off their riders. The remainder, mainly those furthest away, circled around to get around to Toph.

 _We have their attention,_ Zuko thought with a smirk.

Zuko dashed up to the nearest goon, kicking him upside the head and turning to his friend to drive his shoulder into the man's chest. Sidestepping a spear thrust, Zuko finally drew his swords, deflecting the enemy's follow-up and leaning in, kicking the man's leg out from under him and planting an elbow in his back.

Panicked screams echoed from the other parts of town. Toph was having a blast holding her side of the battlements, if her laughs and the constant sounds of rocks being tossed around were anything to go by, and he could only hope that the other screams were the result of Iroh or the villagers.

Instincts kicking in, Zuko ducked under a spattering of rocks that took out the building behind him. Rolling aside, it was all Zuko could do to dodge the second salvo. Wheeling towards his assailant, Zuko narrowed his eyes at Gow

"Payback time," Gow chuckled.

Pulling out his hammers, the earthbender batted a torrent of missiles at Zuko. He blocked fairly well, deflecting with his blades, but the weight and tempo of the attacks was staggering. Catching a stone, he launched it back at Gow, who promptly sidestepped and let it his goon catch it instead. With his chest. Undeterred, the thug continued his onslaught against the prince.

More projectiles connected, slowing Zuko down a little bit more each time until one landed dead-center in the chest. Air was force out of his lungs and he fell backwards, nearly losing his grip on his swords.

Knocked to his back, Zuko scooted back as Gow approached menacingly. Jumping back to his feet, Zuko dodged one hammer and deflected the other to avoid more than a glancing blow to his ribs.

The target of his ire gasping, Gow took the opportunity to sucker punch Zuko in the stomach and kick him around. Bringing his hammer down on the boy's head, he was surprised when the boy's arms flew to defend himself, stopping the swing cold. Snarling, Gow swung his hammer up, kicking Zuko to the ground when he leaned out of the way.

Winded, Zuko scooted away from his foe to gather himself

"Now beg," Gow demanded.

Zuko spat and rose to his feet. "No."

The ground shattered underneath the hammers as Zuko rolled backwards, flipping to his feet. Thrusting his fist forward, the ground in front of him turned to lava, flowing rapidly to where Zuko had directed.

Gow disappeared under a blanket of lava, silencing his screams. Gow's thugs watched in horror as the glowing molten earth began dimming. One glance from Zuko was all it took to get them running, not giving the populace they had terrorized for so long to come to their senses with a punishment of their own.

One of the houses began to catch fire from lava and inched towards the well. People ran for shovels until Iroh stepped forward. Reaching one hand to the heated mass, he twirled around his finger and pointed it to the sky. The air cooled rather quickly and in a matter of minutes, the lava had been reduced to harmless rock, still warm to the touch, but safe to approach.

"He's a firebender!" someone proclaimed. Zuko stepped towards Iroh, preparing to defend his uncle. The crowd looked mixed, trying to decide if they were to attack or to flee in terror, hateful looks flashing on some of their faces.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Gansu shouted over the crowd.

"He's obviously not a soldier, not to mention the fact that he and his friends just saved us and our homes. I think that's earned them some explaining."

"Deserters?"

"Don't mention us to anyone else," Zuko asked. "Please"

"After what you lot did for us today, we'll keep mum about the whole thing. Don't know how we're going to hide that thing."

The cooled lava had taken on the texture of glass, glinting pleasantly in the sunlight.

"I got it," said Toph, sinking the piece into the ground and promptly burying it. "Easy." Apart from a couple of raised eyebrows, now one gave her a second glance on the matter.

[-]

Riding out of town, Iroh waved back at the people they saved. Zuko was still focused on the road ahead until they reached a collection of foothills, where he brought them to a halt.

"What are we stopping for this time?" Toph asked.

"I need to find an airbender," Zuko replied

"You mean the Avatar?

"…Yes."

"What would he be doing here?"

"He's not here," Zuko retorted. "I'm trying to think of where to find him."

"How did you find me again? Why not use that?"

Zuko blinked a couple of times.

"You've never thought of that, have you?"

"…No."

"Well, why don't you try finding him the same way?"

Kneeling on the ground, Zuko spread his awareness outward, tracing for Aang, but the light immediately traced back to him.

"Well, that didn't work."

"What about his friends? He has friends right?"

Grumbling, Zuko tried remember the Water Tribe girl. _Katara. Her name was Katara._

The light led far off to the southeast, not an improbable distance for them to travel though. However, they were still a few days off and moving away from them.

More importantly, they were running.

"I know where they are now," Zuko announced.

"Great! Let's go meet these mysterious friends of yours."

Mounting up once more, Zuko sighed. _I guess I'll be waiting on earthbending lessons for now._

 **A/N: Yay! Zuko isn't run out of town this time. I kind of helps that they let the townspeople assume and then rolled with it, unlike in canon where Zuko loudly proclaimed his identity to everyone.**

 **In other news, I never meant to leave writing this long, but between a number of occurrences in RL, a number of rewrites all over the place, and most of my writing occurring in stories other than this one.**

 **On top of all of that (and the most significant issue), this chapter simply refused to be written. I ran through a number of different scenarios, neither of which captured the image and essence I wanted, not to mention leaving me in awkward positions for the next chapter, so numerous rewrites occurred before we ended with what you see here.**

 **On a related note, writing is extraordinarily difficult when you're trying not to sneeze your brains out.**


	22. Sibling Rivalry

It had taken some digging and fishing around, but Zuko had tracked his objective. The visions he had indicated that they were all tired, fatigued from their flight. Evidently, someone had been using the bison's shed fur to follow them.

 _And now they've split up for the moment_ , Zuko thought. _Fantastic._

"How close are we to them?" Toph asked.

Opening his eyes, Zuko took in a deep breath. "Less than a day. We can catch up sooner if we push ourselves."

"The horses are getting tired," Iroh cautioned.

"We find Aang and the others, they'll be getting a break soon enough. Jumping onto their horses, the trio set out one more. It was another cloudless day and the wind was annoyingly sparse, which made it more obvious when a trail of dust traveled along the terrain.

Pulling to a stop, Zuko watched the rider intently. Looking more closely, he could spy the mongoose lizard, and more importantly, the rider herself.

"Azula," Zuko whispered harshly, followed by a sharp intake of air from his uncle.

"It doesn't appear that she is searching for us," Iroh deduced.

"No, but she _is_ after who we're looking for." Seeing his sister continue her course without stopping, Zuko drove his heels into the ostrich-horse's sides. "Yah."

"Who's this Azula person?" Toph asked.

"A dangerous firebender," Zuko answered. "Whatever you do, don't drop your guard around her."

"Heh, sounds like she scares you. How did she do that?"

Zuko scowled, but said nothing, merely following Azula's wake at what he could guess was a safe enough distance. _Not that it will matter much to her._ Her path led to a ghost town that looked to be abandoned.

"When we get close to town, I want you to flank her. You have a better chance of catching her off guard than I do."

"Ditching me again?" Toph teased, but noticed that Zuko was practically radiating severity. "Sure thing, Thunder-Toes."

Pressing to a gallop, Zuko led the horse to the town in a fury.

"Toph, drop off."

On command, the girl slipped off the back, stumbling slightly as she reestablished connection with her element.

Eyes focused forward, Zuko ride through the buildings, he managed to catch what his sister said as he jumped off.

"Are you sure you want to fight me?"

"Yes," Zuko answer, throwing away his hat. "I really do."

"Zuko," Aang gasped.

Her face unchanged, Azula smiled at her brother. "I was wondering when you would show up, Zuzu."

"Zuzu?" Aang snorted.

Positioning himself between both Azula and Aang, Zuko sized up the situation. Aang was exhausted, but surprisingly on his feet. Whether that would still be the case within the next few minutes was still in question. Azula, on the other hand, was still fresh and ready for battle.

 _Where are Mai and Ty Lee?_ Zuko Azula were to move anywhere without a full royal procession, those two were never far behind.

"Back off, Azula. I'm dealing with the Avatar."

Azula assumed a fighting stance.

"I'm not going anywhere."

 _I guess that was too much to hope for,_ Zuko thought before whipping out a stream of fire followed by a barrage of fireballs.

As if bored, Azula dismantled the assault, then pressed in. Aang, still apprehensive of Zuko, gave the siblings a wide berth until the princess made a grab for him.

Swatting her attacks aside, Aang darted away, nimbly dodging blasts that incinerated the world around him until Zuko stepped in again, slowing his sister from giving chase, but not outright stopping her.

As the siblings traded blows, Zuko had to grudgingly admit that Azula was still the superior firebender. He considered bringing out his swords, but would do little, if anything to balance things out.

Staggering back, Zuko swept his legs out, but he was becoming winded.

"What's the matter, Zuzu? You were so confident earlier."

Zuko growled, ducked under a burst of fire while responding with one of his own. It was weaker, dimmer than he remembered.

 _Focus!_ He berated himself, _I am Zuko._

Azula casually countered, forcing Zuko to dive behind a corner when the next struck just next to him, setting the old building on fire.

 _Son of Ozai and Ursa._

Another salvo began punching holes into the side of the building, causing part of it to collapse where Zuko had been just moments before. A sense of agitation rose alongside the fear, giving him a slightly stronger flame.

 _Prince of the Fire Nation,_ he reminded himself _._ _ **THE AVATAR,**_ another part of his mind screamed.

Azula rounded the corner, lighting the alley on fire as Zuko fled.

"Is that your best, Zuzu? Have you sunken even further since our last meeting? So rude, leaving."

"You were going to cart us back as prisoners!" Zuko bellowed in synch with an attack. Azula pressed her fingertips together and thrusted forward, splitting the wall of fire.

"Of course I was. Why would father even want you back? You're nothing but an embarrassment; a failure that would be better off dead."

"Shut up!" The air between the siblings exploded in Zuko's fury. Untouched, Azula continued her barrage.

 _I must capture the Avatar_ _ **I MUST RESTORE BALANCE TO THE WORLD**_

Fire flew between them with. Zuko's uneven flurries of flames were dodged and countered. Azula still had that smirk on her face.

 _ **END THE WAR,**_ the other voice howled.

With a fearsome war cry, Zuko charged in, spamming his attacks at an impressive rate. Compared to most of his peers, he would have proven a fearsome opponent. Against his prodigy sister, he was little more than an annoyance. She dismantled his offensive with glaring ease and returning fire, forcing him to backpedal.

Stunned from the relentless exchange, he saw Azula charge up a bolt of lightning and point at him.

 _Born lucky_ , Zuko thought dryly.

The bolt of lightning caught his arm and ran through the rest of him. Flesh smoldered and burned, filling Zuko's nostrils with a putrid scent as he dropped to his knees.

"That was pathetic, Zuzu," Azula declared as she charged another bolt of lightning charged up. Zuko was still paralyzed from the first that he could not raise his hand to defend himself.

A gust of wind knocked Azula off balance, botching her aim. She immediately recovered and took aim at her assailant. Zuko saw no he world faded to black as Zuko lost consciousness.

[-]

Sokka twiddled his thumbs as he eyed their…guests. The fight with the dangerous ladies had been tough, more so with the leader of the bunch. Since leaving the South Pole, one of the constant factors of the journey were Zuko and Iroh, constantly dogging their heels.

And now Katara was healing one of them, despite her brother's arguments to the contrary.

"He literally chased us across the world," Sokka had protested.

"He stopped Azula from chasing me," Aang argued. "He almost died for it."

"Probably so he could capture you himself. Face it, Aang, you're nothing more than a prize for them."

Aang just stopped arguing, meditating next to the fire.

Now, sitting in a corner watching as Katara healed Prince Jerk with his uncle kneeling beside them, Sokka kept his vigilance, ready for any funny business.

 _Why is Aang trying to defend them?_ He wondered

He could understand working with Iroh, remembering how he had stood against Zhao to protect the Moon Spirit, fighting Fire Nation soldiers that had failed, and remained when Yue gave up her life to restore the spirit. Still, he had helped his nephew plenty during the journey, and by the end of the day, he was still Fire Nation.

Zuko was an entirely different matter.

And that was all before getting to their new friend. He did not know what to make of the girl with the weird eyes, Toph. She was obviously an earthbender judging by their battle with the lead dangerous lady, Azula. She was tiny, but managed to pack quite a punch, managing to nearly tilt a building on top of Azula.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Sokka glanced at Katara's work on Zuko's arm. The appendage had burns that traveled up past the elbow, but were slowly disappearing before their eyes.

Sokka tried to imagine what sort of siblings would do such things to one another. He and Katara had had their squabbles over the years to be sure. But while those squabbles occasionally turned physical and violent, rarely did they result in serious injury, and never with lethal force.

"I've…done all I can for now. He seems to be healing on his own, but I could feel an unstable form of energy resisting me."

"Thank you," Iroh said, bowing. "It actually sounds like him, resisting help."

Katara said nothing else, leaving the old man to continue his vigil.

Scooting next to Toph, Sokka sized the girl up.

Without turning towards him, she kicked the ground, knocking Sokka onto his back.

"You can stop looking at me like that," she said.

Scrambling to his feet, he dusted himself off.

"Why are you with them?" Sokka asked.

"'Cause it's fun to knock Thunder-Toes around. He's one of the few people I've met who's been able to take a real punch."

"Right, that sounds like a great qualifier for personality traits."

"Actually, Lee, or Zuko, I suppose, asked me to teach him earthbending."

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "But he's a firebender."

Katara was now listening to the conversation.

"Yeah, he's also an earthbender," Toph replied. "Got some broken stuff in the last couple of towns to attest that."

"Did he tell you who he was?"

Toph shrugged. "We never really got to sit down and talk about it. First we were running from my parents, 'cause I ran away, then we got into a fight with some thugs, then we started chasing after you guys, and well, now were here."

"You're aware that the Fire Nation is at war with the entire world right now, right? And that Zuko and Iroh are Fire Nation royalty."

"It doesn't matter," Aang said, steel underlying his voice. "Zuko's the Avatar."

"What?!" the Water Tribe siblings balked.

"How can someone from the Fire Nation be the next Avatar?" Sokka protested.

"Air, water, earth, then fire," the airbender replied.

"Then shouldn't the next Avatar be from the Water Tribe?" Katara asked.

"If the world didn't know what happened to me, it could have easily gone to someone else without anyone realizing."

"Shouldn't the Avatar spirit thingy, I don't know, avoid the raging flamethrowers?" Sokka complained.

Aang sighed tiredly. "Look, I know you have a lot of questions…"

"Oh, I have plenty."

"But I need to talk to him. He may be the only one who can answer those questions."

They looked at Zuko and his uncle, who had scarcely moved. The prince was still, only the steady rise and fall of his chest to indicate he was even alive.

"I guess the only thing we can do for now is wait for him to wake up," Katara said.

Crossing his arms, Sokka wordlessly conceded. "So, wow did you find us anyways?" he asked.

"Thunder-Toes used some weird spirit tracking power or something. He was kinda vague about the whole thing."

[-]

 _Black snow fell from the skies. Kanna and Hama were away for the moment. Then the alarm sounded. Dropping the basket, running to the walls in time to see the first salvo slam into the city._

 _Fire Nation soldiers came shortly after the bombardment let up, storming our home, targeting the waterbenders. A smart move, considering we can literally turn the tides against them._

 _They weren't trying to kill us. They were abducting us. With great difficulty, I break the nets entangling me. Datok wasn't as lucky, screaming for help over the din of battle._

 _Hama is soon beside me, and more warriors join up to ward off the invaders. Seeing the enemy withdraw was a relief, but also a dread. We suffered casualties, and three others were captured, and we're still counting the dead._

 _They aren't going to settle for an endless assault. They're just going to whittle us away until there's nothing left._

 _This is a war we cannot hope to win._

[-]

 _We've held the Fire Nation for decades, but I cannot help but wonder if we are nearing the end of the rope._

 _The Dragon of the West is paving the way for the Fire Nation to bring the war to Ba Sing Se itself. My company moves to face him tomorrow._

 **A/N: The GAang returned to the scene, and all the lovely awkwardness along with it.**

 **In case you wondered why Zuko didn't use earthbending against Azula, it's because he still has no real control over it, and after the incident with Gow, he's apprehensive about using it without training. Add that to his conflict with Azula being more personal and rooted with his identity as prince of the Fire Nation, he would have defaulted to that anyways.**

 **Also, I remembered that, for this story, the GAang never met Jeong Jeong, and thus, aren't really familiar with Fire Nation defectors. It's going to take some time before Sokka accepts Zuko's change of life goals.**

 **Furthermore, the last segments are from Kinna's (Aang's successor in the cycle) and Shan's (Zuko's predecessor) lives.**

 **In other news, there are over 100 followers for this story and more than 15,000 views. Keep up the good work.**

 **Finally, since I am participating in NaNoWriMo, the next chapter may be delayed a bit.**


	23. Bitter Work

Revelations

Zuko floated through the abyss of his mind, gravity having no presence in that realm Light came from everywhere, but nowhere.

 _A roar of defiance as he railed on his foe. The Dragon of the West lived up to his reputation. There was no stopping the lightning bolt._

Pain. It was agonizing, but keeping him aware, coherent in the haze of dreams and memories.

 _The daunting structure edged over the horizon._

" _Stop screaming, water rubes. We're almost there."_

Everything hurt, like he was being pulled in several directions at once, each threatening to pull a limb off in the process.

Suddenly, the pressure let up, and he was floating once more. It seemed hours later that he was standing/floating in front of a mirror, but it could not decide what it was showing.

One moment, it was showing him as the Fire Lord, tall and magnificent.

The next, it was him as the outcast, only older, angrier, physical scars reflecting every time his mind had tortured him with what could have been.

After that, it was Lee, the refugee. He seemed happier, lighter. A young woman stood next to him, brown hair and hazel eyes; an Earth Kingdom girl. Before he could take in that sight, the reflection changed again.

The Blue Spirit, standing at the pinnacle of a tower, wind whipping at the fabric he wore. For a moment, his eyes glowed underneath the mask, then the image faded away and was replaced.

Now he was covered in armor, a face-obscuring helm. He stood over a scorched landscape, piles of charred skeletons towering above him. That image did not last long, as it shifted to another.

This one looked almost like Zuko as he already was, except the lacking of the scar. And the shaved head. And blue arrow tattoos on his head, arms, and legs.

 _What?_

Then he felt like he was falling upwards.

[-]

"He should be waking soon," a girl announced.

Zuko stirred then sat up, his eyes snapped open after along the way. Katara was kneeling next to him, water clinging around her hands. Instead of flinching in the presence of former enemies, he silently rose to his feet, stumbling slightly before sinking to his knees.

"You need to lay down," Katara warned.

"How long was I asleep?" Zuko asked, running his hand over his face.

"A couple of days."

Groaning, he fell back on his rear.

"Are you okay?" Katara's words were not entirely insincere.

"Strange dreams."

Uncle Iroh chose that moment to enter the tent, quickly scooping his nephew in a great hug. After some trepidation, Zuko reciprocated.

"I'm sorry I worried you," Zuko said, voice haggard. After Iroh broke from their embrace, Zuko worked up the strength to step outside.

Toph was playing with the lemur, which had taken something of a shine to her. Sokka was still standing vigilant, expecting one of them to attack at any moment. Aang, on the hand, was sitting peacefully a short distance away, meditating.

Before long, Zuko was faced with expectant stared.

"I don't expect you to believe me," Zuko said, nipping the argument short. "I'll show you." Walking outside the camp into a clearing, Zuko was followed by the others. "Wait here."

Finding himself at the center of the clearing, he took a deep breath. Instincts had not failed him yet, so pressing his hand to the ground, Zuko projected his will towards the earth. It took a while, like a child that had run away frightened returning to their parents, but when it returned, the ground split, shaking the camp and knocking a few trees down in the process.

Iroh and Toph were unsurprised, and to a lesser extent, so was Aang. Sokka's jaw had dropped, and Katara was covering his mouth

"Is that proof enough?" Zuko asked.

[-]

A short flight to put some distance between themselves and "the dangerous ladies", as Sokka called them, they set camp in a nice canyon, presumably for earthbending, as Toph was eager to fulfil her end of their bargain.

For once, Zuko was glad that he woke up early. The others were treated to Toph's boisterous nature for a wakeup call.

"Good morning, earthbending students!" Toph loudly proclaimed, blasting her stone tent to pieces.

"Good morning," Zuko answered, though it was halfhearted.

"That's _Sifu_ Toph to you, Thunder-Toes!"

Finally registering the sudden increase of noise, Sokka sat up and began incoherently grumbling at them.

"Sorry, Snoozles," Toph said. "We'll do our earthbending as quietly as we can."

Slamming her left heel on the ground, Toph sent Sokka flying comically into the air. After a rough landing, he almost immediately sprang up, still in his sleeping bag, to loudly grumble at the culprit, then at Zuko, then hopped off to a quieter place in camp.

Quirking an eyebrow, Zuko turned away from watching Sokka retreat to Toph. "From what I remember, earthbending isn't all that quiet to begin with."

"Don't sweat the details, Princess," Toph retorted. "Is the Fancy Dancer joining us?"

Katara, still groggy, looked at Aang worriedly, who was, miraculously, still fast asleep. "I don't think so."

Zuko inclined his head. "So, what are we starting on?"

Toph smirked mischievously. "Getting you to move _one_ rock."

Setting up far away from camp, Toph promptly drummed up a couple of boulders to work with.

"The key to earthbending is your stance," she began. "You've got to be steady and strong. Rock is a stubborn element. If you're going to move it, you've got to be like a rock yourself." Punching the boulder, it slid into the canyon wall. Satisfied with her work, she looked at Zuko. "Now you try."

Popping his neck, Zuko tested his stance. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Charging up, he replicated Toph's move, but instead of sliding off like Toph's, it exploded spectacularly in his face, sending him flying. Toph has erected a wall to shield herself from the blast. Mixed with surprise, a mirthful grin was plastered on her face.

"Okay, new strategy, since you're probably going to hurt yourself if you do that again, Thunder-Toes."

[-]

About midday, Sokka was lounged out underneath a nice, shady tree by camp. Iroh treated them to tea.

"Hey, this is pretty good," Katara said, delighted. "Hey, Sokka, you should try some."

Sokka elected to pointedly ignore her.

"It's quite alright," Iroh waved off.

"He's still acting rude."

"I'm sure he'll come around eventually."

Katara thoughtfully sipped at her tea. "I wonder how training's going."

A loud thump reverberated through the ground and Zuko came flying across the way, sliding across the ground and rolling around inelegantly before he jumped back to his feet.

"Ow," he grumbled before running back to the earthbender girl.

"You know, I think I can live with this," Sokka called out.

Another thump and Zuko made a new record in sliding across the ground.

[-]

The next portion of Toph's training was more successful, except for the fact that the boulders Zuko stopped were either turned into powder or sent into the lower stratosphere. Toph, however, was vaguely amused at her student's "success".

"You know, that doesn't really count as stopping the rock," she said.

"Do you think we hit anything important?" Zuko asked as he watched another boulder go over the horizon.

"Who cares?" she shrugged. "Let's keep going."

The rest of the day was grueling, every trial pitched to the novice earthbender he either failed out of hand exceeded to an absurd degree, something that amused the tiny teacher to no end.

"Alright, pack it up for the night, Princess. We can get back to it tomorrow."

"What happened to Thunder-Toes?"

Toph shrugged. "'Princess' rolls of the tongue easier."

Temper simmering, Zuko felt his eye twitch involuntarily.

[-]

The first lesson with Katara was far more awkward and frustrating.

Standing in a pond, Zuko and Aang respectfully bowed to their teacher. The Water Tribe girl gave Aang some exercises to go through while she started with the disgraced prince.

Sighing, she rested a hand on her hip. "As much as I'd like to _not_ teach you. If you're really serious about stopping your father, you need everything you can get."

"Your objectivity is astounding."

Katara fixed him with a glare, but soon relented. "This is a fairly basic move. What you're going to do is push and pull the water. Like this."

Watching go through the motions, Zuko tentatively replicated them himself. Reaching for the water, nothing happened. After a minute of more nothing, Katara let out a breath that she had been subconsciously holding.

"It took me two months to get that move down," she consoled. "Don't be upset if it takes a while."

"We don't have that much time to waste," Zuko snapped. Schooling his features, he looked down at his reflection. "Sorry."

Reaching for the water, he could not tell if the ripples came from his idle movements or if he was actually doing anything to the water. It took almost forty minutes of frustration before Katara called for a break.

[-]

The next morning, Iroh was the first person to approach him for training.

 _It has been a long time since I've actually practiced much in the way of firebending._

Zuko could not help but feel a little excited about the prospect as his uncle led them away from the rumblings of…whatever Toph was doing to Aang.

"Lightning is a pure form of firebending, without aggression. It is not fueled by rage or emotion the way other firebending is. Some call lightning the cold-blooded fire. It is precise and deadly, like Azula. To perform the technique requires peace of mind."

The mention of Azula made Zuko's anger stoke slightly, but was quickly quelched. _Clear mind,_ he repeated to himself.

"There is energy all around us. The energy is both yin and yang. Positive energy and negative energy. Only a select few firebenders can separate these energies. This creates an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance, and in a moment the positive and negative energy come crashing back together, you provide release and guidance, creating lightning."

Gesturing his nephew back, Iroh traced his fingers through the air around himself, almost as if physically collecting or cutting it to the tips until he released it outwards into the open.

"I'm ready to try it," Zuko resolved. The display had been somewhat awe inspiring.

"Remember, once you separate the energy, you do not command it. You are simply its humble guide. Breathe first."

Following Iroh's motions, Zuko could feel the energies shift around his fingertips. He could feel pinpricks his skin as it built up around him. Bringing the energy back together, it exploded in his face.

Stomping back to his feet, he tried again as Sokka looked on.

"I don't understand," he wondered aloud. "He did it exactly like you did."

"I was afraid this might be the case," Iroh murmured.

Another explosion sent the lad stumbling backwards, irritated, but mostly unhurt.

"Why does it keep exploding in my face?!" Zuko snarled. "Why does everything keep blowing up in my face?!"

Iroh rested a hand on his shoulder. "You will not be able to master lightning until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you."

Zuko repressed the urge to ask "what turmoil", but he remembered all the twists and turns his life and jerked him around on over the last decade. One of them he was not entirely sure could be solved in the first place.

"I don't even know where to begin with that," he answered bitterly. "Much less how to fix it."

Iroh eyed his nephew pensively.

"I have another idea. I will teach you a firebending move that even Azula doesn't know, because I made it up myself."

Finding them a clear patch of dirt, Iroh grabbed a stick and began drawing.

"Fire is the element of power," he began. "The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy to drive and achieve what they want." The emblem for fire completed, he moved on to the next. "Earth is the element of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring. Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. Also, they apparently had pretty good senses of humor!"

Flashing a toothy grin, Iroh saw that his audience was less than amused, so he pressed on, drawing the last elemental emblem.

"Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything."

"What are you trying to teach me?"

"It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If you take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole.

"It isn't merely the four elements that makes the Avatar so powerful. It's through drawing upon many sources of knowledge, but others can benefit from this knowledge as well. You see, the technique I'm about to teach you is one I learned by studying the waterbenders."

"Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy. A waterbender lets their defense become their offense, turning their opponents' energy against them. I learned a way to do this with lightning."

Zuko connected the dots. "You're going to teach me how to direct lightning?"

"If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it. You must create a pathway from your fingertips, up your arm to your shoulder, then down into your stomach. The stomach is the source of energy in your body. It is called the sea of chi. Though mine is more like a vast ocean. From the stomach, you direct it up again, and out the other arm. The stomach detour is critical. You must not let the lightning pass through your heart, or the damage could be deadly."

Zuko mirrored his uncle's movements until he got a good feel for what he was trying to do, feeling his energy flow.

"Alright. I'm ready for some practice with real lightning."

If Iroh had been drinking, he would have probably accidentally spat on his nephew.

"What, are you crazy?! Lightning is very dangerous!"

"I thought the point was to teach me how to protect myself from it."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm going to shoot lightning at you!"

"Then what's the point of showing me this technique? How do I know how it works in practice?" Deflating, Zuko strode away. "I'll…I think I'll just work on something else for now."

[-]

At nightfall, Zuko sat out under the stars. He was still fuming from before. Why teach someone something, but not let them practice it? Azula wasn't going to let him prepare beforehand. His argument had been going in circles for hours with no resolution between what he thought he should do and what his uncle's reasoning was.

 _I need to get my mind off of this._

Hopping to his feet, he wandered over to a clearing at the top of the canyon. Scooping up some rocks, he threw them at a high branch, aiming to see how many leaves he could eliminate.

About halfway through his second reload, he got an idea. Holding the rocks between his hands, he willed them to move ever so slightly. At first they, jumped out of his hands, but were close enough for him to recover in short order.

"Hmm…"

He clasped his hands, sandwiching the rocks between his palms. Channeling his energy, he felt a sudden spike in heat. Swiftly letting go, he floated the rocks between his hands, funneling more energy until the rocks glowed with heat, then shifted them into a single mass.

 _Let's try something with this._

Standing up, Zuko checked to make sure no one was nearby. Satisfied that no one could be hurt in the experiment, he stopped one hand from heating the mass, then moved it away, leaving only one hand maintaining the flow. Jiggling his fingers around, he got the melting rock to circle around in even flows.

 _Now!_

Flicking his wrist, he formed a whip with the lava, slamming it into the ground, leaving a neat furrow where it hit. Regrettably, he lost contact with most of the material he had used, but it did make it easier to put it out.

Repeating the technique, he found it much easier to heat the rocks a second time.

 _Need to try another way to put it out._

Thinking back on what Iroh had done after the battle with Gow and his men, Zuko tried to draw the heat away. To his subdued jubilation, the heat was sapped away and dispersed.

 _Okay. Let's try something else._

Heating the rock once more, he pressed, shaped it into a healthy sized shuriken. He spun it around in his hands, alternating between speeding and slowly its rotation. Looking for a suitable target, he approached a withered tree and began cutting away. Unsurprisingly, it caught fire, but the molten shuriken cut deftly through.

Zuko felt the urge to dance, but decidedly ignored it. He was progressing faster than he ever had with any of his other training. _This must be how Azula felt sometimes._

[-]

The end of the following day, Aang flopped into camp after Toph, positively exhausted.

"Told you you're soft, Twinkles."

Zuko was still irked at the lack of progress with water, but allowed a smirk to reach his lips. At least he was able to handle Toph's lessons to a degree.

It was during what had become the typical evening happenings that Zuko came up with a particular thought.

"Aang, you can waterbend, right?" he asked.

"Yeah. I thought you saw me doing it."

"Have you tried any of the other elements?"

"Well, I tried, but…" Aang trailed off and traced the bruises Toph's training methods had left. "I didn't get anywhere." He laughed nervously.

"She can be quite the slave-driver. What about fire?"

Aang shook his head. "I never found a teacher."

Tapping his chin, Zuko stood up and began pacing. "I think I know what the problem is. If I can bend fire and earth, while you can bend air and water…"

Sokka, who had been listening in, was almost exasperated when he made the connection.

"So one of you can properly bend two elements, and the other can bend another two elements. Terrific."

"It could be problematic, yes," Zuko replied.

"No. Problematic is when you get two fishhooks in your thumb-

"How did that happen?"

"Not the point!"

Katara sighed long-sufferingly. "How do we solve this?" she asked.

"Well, I guess we need to figure out how to transfer the Avatar spirit from me to Zuko."

"And how do you propose that?" Zuko inquired.

Iroh thoughtfully stroked his beard. "Since the problem seems to lie with the spiritual aspect of the Avatar, it might be best to approach this like a spirit issue."

"I might have an idea," Aang announced.

 **A/N: Hello again! NaNoWriMo 2016 has been won, and thus, I have been able to move with other writing once more.**

 **Anyways, I wanted to cover Zuko's experiences with attempting different bending arts. I had also written a number of hilariously botched earthbending lessons (think what Aang went through in canon, only in the opposite). I might make another entry just for those odd musings. At a later date, of course.**

 **In other news, I've decided to move some things around in the future, and thusly, there will be four books for** _ **Finding Yourself,**_ **making the order** **Change, Substance, Power, and Freedom.**

 **Chapter Twenty-Four is already well on its way, and I'm itching to see how close I can get to the end of Book Two before the new year.**


	24. Moving Forward, Looking Backward

Aang and Zuko sat cross-legged from each other, arms reach apart. Temporarily ditching the headband, Aang's head arrow was mostly covered by his hair, almost making the headband unnecessary.

"What we're going to do is try connecting to the Avatars between me and you," Aang explained. "What I need you to do is stay call and take deep breaths."

Nodding, Zuko rested his hands on his knees and closed his eyes. "Okay, deep breaths."

Surprisingly, establishing a connection took little effort. What awaited them, however…

 _Rock and fire flew between them, the Earth Kingdom colonel versus the Dragon of the West. Carnage littered the ground around them._

 _Lightning generation, the most fearsome of firebending forms._

 _His senses filled with pain as the bolt struck him._

The edged of the memory blurred, threatening ejection from the experience.

 _No!_ Zuko tried to force the scenery to remain, but he and Aang were eventually shoved out.

Gasping, Zuko fell out of his meditative state, unconsciously reaching for his chest. Reviewing his surroundings, he saw that Aang had broken into a full sweat, breathing uneven and labored.

"What…what was that?" the airbender asked. "Connecting with Roku wasn't that painful." Hyperventilating a moment, Aang got his breathing back under control. "Was that your uncle?"

"I think so. My uncle is also known as the Dragon of the West, and he looked younger in the vision."

Standing, Zuko dusted himself off. "This is going to take some time, isn't it?"

"I don't know," Aang replied. "But we have to keep trying. Diving head first doesn't seem like a good idea. We can try tracing it back. Start with you and make our way to Roku."

Zuko pondered the suggestion for a minute. "Okay, but I think we should wait until we're rested. If the look on your face is any sign, that dive probably took as much out of you as it did me."

"Right."

[-]

The first few days were spent retracing the last month, after which, it began speeding up. Aang noticed a number of blackouts. It was not as if the memories were repressed or even if Zuko was trying to hide them. It was as if it was in a completely different language. Still, he did not press Zuko about them.

Looking at Zuko's attempts at capturing him were disorienting, but it added perspective to his struggles. Every attempt was another failure stacked on top of a mountain of failures in Zuko's eyes.

He briefly balked at Gow's demise, but even Zuko did not want to dwell on it and moved on.

Seeing the meeting between Zuko and Toph was interesting, as was Earth Rumble VI.

 _Wow, Zuko's pretty good at earthbending._

The flight from Azula, the false offer to return home. During the entire conversation, Aang could pick out a faint voice, indiscernible to his own ears, but there all the same.

The scenes kept marching back to the Siege of the North, then went to the times before it. He almost felt his heart clench when he saw the parrot from the pirates during the assassination attempt.

More memories, step by step to when Sokka and Katara freed Aang. After that, the memoires became hazy for a time. Everywhere Zuko had been during his tireless search, Aang saw it all, faster and faster until he found himself dumped into a darkened room.

He was standing in a covered arena, torchlights offering a sinister illumination. It took him a moment to recognize the person he was standing next to without the identifying scar. Zuko was kneeling away from his intended opponent.

Agni Kai; a fire duel. Aang remembered Kuzon talking about them once. They were supposed to settle matters of honor.

This was a spectacle. Entertainment.

Zuko rose and turned to face his opponent, then froze when he saw who that opponent was.

 _Father,_ a voice in the back of his mind whispered. The Fire Lord.

As much as Aang wanted out, he could not turn away from the scene. Not out of a macabre fascination, but because something refused to let him leave.

Next to him, Zuko had fallen to his face, pleading to his father.

" _Please, Father. I only had the Fire Nation's best interest at heart. I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!"_

" _Rise and_ fight _, Prince Zuko."_

"Stop it," Aang whispered, unable to shout like he wanted to. "Stop this."

" _I meant no disrespect. I am your loyal son."_

He reached for Zuko, hoping to drag him away from his fate.

" _You will fight for your honor."_

The pleading did not stop, not for either of them.

" _I won't fight you."_

The Fire Lord was now standing above his son, the prince in tears as he begged.

" _You_ will _learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher."_

Paralyzed, Aang watched as the Fire Lord concentrated a spark into a wild torch and thrust it at Zuko's face.

When the blaze reached his eye, Aang was finally released. Clutching his eye, Aang met the worried looks of everyone else.

Zuko was lying on his back, tears streaming from his face, muttering an apology, over and over, like a soothing mantra. It took a moment for Aang to realize he was sweating and crying himself.

Iroh somberly bowed his head and rested his hand on the hyperventilating youth's shoulder. "I think we should stop here for now."

"What was that?" Toph asked. Even blind, she could feel the emotional tension and agitation around her.

"He was remembering his Agni Kai, against his father."

"The scar…" Katara murmured, seeing where Aang was resting his hand, trying to soothe away the phantom pain.

Iroh nodded.

Leaving the Avatars to Katara's care, everyone but Iroh gave them some space and quiet.

[-]

Coming back from foraging, Sokka handed let Momo pick some nuts he had found along the way.

"You know, I've been thinking," Sokka said.

"A real challenge, I'm sure," Toph jabbed.

Sokka, no stranger to snark, barely paused, continuing with a frown. "It's been weeks since we last saw the Dangerous Ladies. Why haven't they tried to catch us again? I mean, come on, if we didn't see Zuko screaming after us a week later, we began to think he was dead or something."

The bushes stirred as Zuko emerged, little worse for wear. Color had returned to his face, but he was still a little unsteady on his feet.

"See what I mean?"

Brushing past Sokka, Zuko wordlessly plopped next to the campfire.

"So, Sparks, what do you think?" Toph asked. "Any idea when your sister and her friends are going to grab you again?

Rolling onto his back, he looked up at the clouds. "Azula isn't one to back down from a challenge willingly. If she isn't chasing us right now, she's planning something else that will get her what she wants with less effort or somehow cripple her enemy."

"A real charmer," Sokka drawled. "Any idea what that could be?"

"Not really. I've never been able to really predict what she was planning, not until the last moment. By then, it's more trying to salvage what you can."

"How old is she?"

"About a two years younger than me, so…fourteen?"

"Wow."

"She's a natural. Prodigy. 'Born lucky'. She's had all of those things said about her at one point or another. The perfect heir."

"Wait, you're older than her, right? Shouldn't you be the heir?"

"Before my banishment, yes. Nominally. Azula is my father's favorite, and since I've been named a traitor, I'd have to eliminate the competition one way or another, or somehow get that overturned, but I don't see that happening."

"You're just a bundle of joy, aren't you?"

"I try. Besides, I'm not sure how being the Avatar would affect my place in the line of succession. I'm still not sure how I feel about that."

"Hmm…"

"Is there anyone you cared about that's still in the Fire Nation?"

"There was this girl I was close to, one of Azula's friends. Her name is Mai. She was the one with the knives."

"Oh."

"So, yeah. Of all the countrymen I personally care about, I can't really think of one who isn't trying to kill or capture me."

Toph snickered from behind them. "Better stop while you're ahead, Boomerang."

[-]

The next dive was more peaceful, if a tad bit slower. Aang was treated to a view of the war meeting that led to the Agni Kai. The airbender found it appalling, the disregard for life, but he also felt more confident when he saw Zuko speak out against the atrocious plan.

From there, the steps came easier, faster until one night where Zuko was woken up in the middle of the night.

" _Zuko, please, my love, listen to me_ _: Everything I've done was to protect you."_

What did she do?

 _"_ _Remember this, Zuko. No matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are."_

"Don't go!" Zuko called out, but she had already disappeared, and the scene shifted once more.

After that, it was mostly a collection of pleasant and bittersweet moments of life before his mother left, before Lu Ten's death. In all those pleasant moments, few involved Zuko's father.

When they had finally reached Zuko's birth, they were gently eased out.

[-]

"We need a strategy for going up against the Fire Nation," Sokka declared.

Zuko looked over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow. "Hm?"

"If we're going to end the war, we need a strategy. I was wondering if you had any ideas on how to get past their defenses."

As if anticipating Zuko's thoughts, Iroh diplomatically interjected.

"If possible, it might avoid unnecessary bloodshed of our people, Zuko."

Stewing over the options, Zuko sighed.

"The Day of Black Sun," he announced ominously. "It's the day of the solar eclipse. Since firebenders draw their strength from the sun, losing that connection would be detrimental to any Fire Nation advance."

"You may not have noticed, but the Fire Nation has never launched an offensive on the day of a solar eclipse."

Sokka slammed a balled fist into his other hand. "Then that would be a good time to strike. Do you know when the next one is?"

Iroh stroked his beared. "Within a few months, if memory serves."

"That's convenient."

Zuko frowned. "But we're going to need more than a retired general and some kids to end this war."

Still excited, Sokka continued. "We can go to Ba Sing Se. They're still holding out aren't they?"

"It held up against a six-hundred-day siege," Iroh said. "I have no doubt it is still standing."

"Then they should have some forces in reserve."

Tapping his eyebrow, Zuko pondered the course of action. "But how are we going to convince them to commit to an offensive like this, and in such a short amount of time?"

"You forget, we've got TWO Avatars."

"More like one divided by two," Toph pointed out.

"Point being that the Avatar is supposed to end the war, right? With that kind of advantage, who wouldn't go for something like that?"

"We still have to get there," Zuko added.

"That shouldn't be much of a problem. Appa and I will be happy to fly us there."

Drawing in a deep breath, Zuko inclined his head. "I guess we can work on the details along the way."

"Perfect!"

Climbing aboard the flying bison, Toph instinctively grabbed Zuko's arm, pinning herself to his side in preparation for takeoff.

 _She did that last time too, didn't she,_ Zuko realized. _Right, the blindness._

Situated on the bison's head, Aang turned towards the passengers. "Appa will need to take more rests with the new passengers," he said.

"It's still better than walking," Iroh pointed out, leaning on the back of the saddle.

"We can make use of those breaks," Zuko suggested.

Smiling widely, Aang turned his eyes up front. "Alright, Appa: yip yip!"

[-]

Azula lounged regally in her seat overlooking the project site. The odd messenger hawk nearly a week before had diverted her from her pursuit of mortal enemies and traitors, but Fire Lord Ozai had ordered her to oversee the final preparations of a weapon that was intended to crack the walls of Ba Sing Se.

Below her, hundreds of workers were applying the finishing touches to the grand construct of metal. Despite War Minister Qin's repeated assurances, she was still unconvinced of the machine's alleged invincibility.

That was what the princess was there for: to ensure that Qin's work could live up to his promises, or to administer his punishment in the event he failed.

Looking to the horizon as the sun began its ascent, Azula smirked.

It was going to be a glorious day when she took that stubborn city down.

 **A/N: Two chapters in the same week! Way to go, me!**

 **Anyways, I'm basically skipping two and a half episodes. Appa's capture and a number of other bad things that happened as a result will not happen. At the same time, some of the troubles Zuko and Iroh had getting into Ba Sing Se won't happen either. Isn't it handy when former enemies are there to give valuable intel?**

 **However, that doesn't mean everything's going to be peachy when they get to where they're going.**

 **Next stop: Ba Sing Se.**


	25. This is a Drill

Ba Sing Se

It was a sunny day on the approach to Ba Sing Se. Wind whipped through their hair, reminding both Aang and Zuko of the time passed since their last haircuts. Curled in discomfort, Sokka tried to play off the ominous sounds coming from his lower half.

"Are you sure you don't need another potty break, Sokka?" Toph teased.

"No," Sokka huffed.

"I still can't believe you just ate something you randomly found on the ground," Katara admonished.

"I have a natural curiosity."

"At least it wasn't poisonous," Zuko "consoled", giving his uncle a pointed look. "Or contagious."

"He'll be fine," Katara waved off. "This isn't the first time he's done something like this."

Intrigued, Toph relinquished her hold on Zuko's arm and scooted a little closer to the other girl. "Do tell."

"I personally want to hear about the two fishhooks," Zuko requested.

"Not much to tell on that one," Katara laughed, ignoring her brother's frantic protests. "He tried to get the first fishhook with another fishhook."

Curiosity sated, Zuko moved closer to the front of the saddle near Aang. A lingering tiredness was apparent in his eyes, but he was still in good spirits. The boy glanced over his shoulders from the reins.

"What is it, Zuko?" he asked.

"I think it would be safer if everyone still thinks you're the Avatar, Aang," Zuko replied. "The only one, that is."

"Why?" Aang asked.

"I'm Fire Nation, remember. I doubt anyone would be pleased to find out the one they're expecting to save them is the son of the Fire Lord."

"Oh" Aang considered the notion for a moment and then nodded. "I think I understand."

Looking out, they saw the vast outer wall of Ba Sing Se. Iroh was pensive looking at the site of his greatest failure; as a general, a father, and as a person.

"We're almost there, guys!" Aang announced.

Sokka was relieved that someone interrupted Katara's story time. "What's that?" he asked, point at a column of dust being kicked up to their left.

Zuko ground his teeth together. "Of _course_ someone came up with a way to breach the wall the moment we think it's safe."

"But we can help," Aang said. "Hang on everyone!"

Zooming to the top of the wall, they dismounted and got a better look at the construct inching its way to the wall.

"A drill?"

While they looked on, a squad of guards approached them.

"What are you people doing here?" the captain demanded. "Civilians aren't allowed on the wall!"

Aang stepped forward to the soldier. "I'm the Avatar. I need to speak to whoever's in charge."

Whisked away to a general's office, they were met with an odd man sitting behind his desk.

"It is an honor to welcome you to the Outer Wall, young Avatar," he happily hailed, "but your help is not needed."

"Not needed?" Aang asked.

" _Not_ needed," the general reiterated. "I have the situation under control." Standing, he led them to the outlook over the plain that the drill was approaching from. "I assure you the Fire Nation cannot penetrate this wall. Many have tried to break through it, but none have succeeded."

"What about the Dragon of the West?" Toph asked faux innocently. "He got in."

To the side, Iroh suppressed a cough.

"Well...uh, technically yes, but he was quickly expunged." Regaining his bluster, the general carried on. "Nevertheless, that is why the city is named Ba Sing Se. It's the 'impenetrable city'. They don't call it Na Sing Se." The general laughed for a moment at his joke, but stopped when he noticed no one was joining him. "That means "penetrable city."

"Yeah, thanks for the tour, but we still got the drill problem."

"Not for long. To stop it, I've sent an elite platoon of earthbenders called the Terra Team."

"That's a good group name," Sokka mused. "Very catchy."

"How are they supposed to breach the outside?" Zuko asked. "It's made of metal."

The general did not hear the comment, focused on the scene transpiring beneath them. From the sounds of the battle, the Terra Team was handily whittling down the tank escorts, but they quickly homed in on the Fire Nation's counter-response.

Grabbing a nearby telescope, he saw Mai and Ty Lee engaging the Terra Team, putting most of them out of the fight and driving the rest back from the drill.

 _I guess I shouldn't be surprised,_ Zuko thought. "Those are your elite fighters?"

"We're doomed!" the general wailed. Sokka rectified the matter by smacking the man upside the head. Thankfully, none of the soldiers stationed nearby took issue with a random teenager dope-smacking their superior.

"Get a hold of yourself, man!" Sokka barked.

Calmed down, the general rubbed his smarting cheek. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Maybe you'd like the Avatar's help now?" Toph asked facetiously.

The general nodded meekly. "Yes, please."

"The question is, how are we going to stop that thing?" Aang wondered aloud.

Slowly, all heads turned to Sokka, though Zuko and Toph were unsure as to why.

"What are you looking at me for?" he protested.

"You're the idea guy."

"So I'm the only one who can ever come up with a plan? That's a lot of pressure."

"Also the complaining guy," Katara added.

"That part I don't mind."

Crossing his arms, Zuko watched as the earthbenders transported their men to the top of the wall. "Let's give Idea Guy some time to think."

"I'll see what I can do for the wounded," Katara said.

In the makeshift infirmary, the general looked on as the waterbender did her work.

"What's wrong with him?" the general asked. "He doesn't look injured."

"His chi is blocked," Katara replied, then turned to her patient. "Who did this to you?"

Sluggishly rising from his bed, the man retold the story. "Two girls ambushed us. One of them hit me with a bunch of quick jabs and suddenly I couldn't earthbend anymore and I could barely move. Then she cartwheeled away."

"Ty Lee," Zuko and Katara answered simultaneously. The waterbender looked at Zuko, puzzled, but shrugged it off and elaborated.

"She doesn't look dangerous, but she knows the human body and its weak points. It's like she takes you down from the inside."

"Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh! Ooh!" Sokka excitedly chittered, bouncing on his feet.

"Do you need to go to the bathroom now?" Zuko dryly asked.

Passing a frown to the scarred teen, Katara turned to her brother. "What is it?"

"What you just said!" Sokka exuded. "That's how we're going to take down the drill! The same way Ty Lee took down all those big earthbenders!"

"By hitting its pressure points!" Toph finished.

"From the inside…" Zuko growled gleefully, causing the general to nervously edge away from him. "It will be easier to hide our intent if we approach from the ground."

"Sorry, Appa. We'll be back."

Stepping to the edge of the wall, Toph pulled out a platform big enough to hold all of them.

"Let's go, everyone!" she shouted as lowered them to the plains below.

Hitting the ground, they took cover in the abandoned trenches. From there, they could see the battered tanks and ruts left behind from the previous battle, but the remaining presence of the Fire Nation military was still hanging towards the back.

"Once I whip up some cover, you're not going to be able to see," the earthbender instructed. "So, stay close to me." She stomped the ground, kicking up a massive cloud of dust. "Run!"

Following her, they made their way into the open, where she made a hole in the ground.

"Everyone, inside," she ordered, covering their entry after they had all huddled together.

The moment the lights went out, Sokka shot his mouth off.

"It's pitch dark; I can't see!"

"Ooh, what a nightmare!"

"Sorry."

They reemerged underneath the drill. Zuko frowned at what he saw.

"Who designed this? That's an easy in for infiltrators."

"I guess they weren't expecting anyone to get under here who wasn't supposed to be," Katara supposed.

"Whatever," Toph shrugged. "Makes it easier for you guys to get in."

"You aren't coming with us?" Sokka asked.

"It's made of metal. I can't see in there."

"Oh, right."

"I'll work on slowing down out here."

"Hold up," Zuko requested. He knelt down and knifed the ground with his hand, breaking up the packed earth. "Give me a minute." Scooping up a couple of handfuls of rocks, he dumped them into his satchel. "Okay, let's go."

Aang catapulted the siblings up inside the drill while Zuko scaled the pipes nearby.

"Uncle, are you coming?"

"It might be better if I stay here."

"Okay, good luck."

Toph looked up in time to see waves ripple through the metal floors of the drill, fading as the infiltration team climbed deeper into the drill.

 _How…?_

[-]

Navigating the corridors of the lower parts of the drill, they encountered no patrols or

"They really were overconfident here," Zuko muttered disdainfully.

"Do you know which way to go?" Katara asked.

"How should I know? I've never been in anything this big before. Sokka, what do you need."

"I need a plan of this machine," Sokka replied. "Some schematics that show what the inside looks like. Then we can find its weak points."

"Where are we going to-" Aang began to say when Zuko kicked a nearby valve.

"Good idea, Zuko," Sokka admitted, aiding the other lad's vandalism.

"What are you doing? Someone's going to hear us!"

"A machine this big needs engineers to run it. And when something breaks…"

"They'll come and fix it!" Katara realized.

They did not have to wait long before the expected engineer arrived, tools in hand.

Watching from his vantage point, Zuko frowned. _Where's the backup?_

Still, Katara disabled the man and Sokka swiped the schematics he had been carrying. They found a cubbyhole to view the plans. After a minute of looking over the schematics he began working out a plan.

"It looks like the drill is made up of two main structures. There's the inner mechanism, where we are now, and the outer shell. The inner part and the outer part are connected by these braces. If we cut through them, the entire thing will collapse."

The plan was simple. And then they arrived at the nearest brace.

Sokka scratched his head. "Wow, it looks a lot thicker in person than it does in the plans."

"What were you expecting?" Zuko asked rhetorically. "Twigs?"

"We're going to have to work pretty hard to cut through that."

"What's all this 'we' stuff?" Katara challenged. "You're not even going to be doing any of the work."

"Look, I'm the plan guy. You're the…cutting/bending people. Together we're Team Avatar."

"Clever," Zuko groused. "We're going to need to work on several of these things if we hope to stop it before it reaches the wall."

"Why?"

"Something that Toph's been teaching me. Point is, you don't devote one-hundred percent of your energy to a single attack. You weaken the supports, and when your opponent's reeling, you deliver the final blow and let their own weight bring them down. Sokka, let me have a look at those schematics again."

"What are you thinking?" he asked, handing off the plans for Zuko to review.

"We need to split up and work on as many supports as we can. I wouldn't bother with cutting the beams all the way through."

Aang glanced at his friends. "Everyone inside that wall, the entire world is counting on us."

Nodding, Zuko rolled the plans and handed them back to Sokka. "I know what to look for," he said, turning to leave.

"Where are you going?" Sokka asked.

"To cut the supports."

"I'll go with you,"

"Fine. Just don't get in the way. Aang, Katara, I wouldn't bother with cutting the beams all the way through. Halfway should do the trick."

"Hey, what do we do after we weaken this thing?" Katara asked.

"Meet at the top," Zuko answered.

"Stay safe, Zuko"

He waved them off as he disappeared from view with Sokka in tow.

Standing up, Katara drew water from her water skins. "Alright, let's get to work."

[-]

Zuko jogged down the next corridor to the opposite and found the nearest brace he had memorized. Scooping up the rocks, he fashioned a magma shuriken and began cutting.

"When did you learn how to do that?" Sokka asked.

"Quiet. Concentrating here."

"Sorry."

The metal slowly gave way, forcing Zuko to keep restarting his cuts and add more rock to the shuriken.

Sokka kept a vigilante eye for guards, but surprisingly, none had come to check on them. After they had finished with their second support, the drill shook violently.

"Did we break it?" Sokka asked.

"There's no way that we're done with this yet," Zuko murmured.

 _"Congratulations, crew,"_ someone said over the speaker tubes. " _The drill has made contact with the wall of Ba Sing Se. Start the countdown to victory!"_

"We have to keep moving."

They had managed a few more supports when they met a response.

"Zuko-" Sokka warned.

Whipping around, Zuko barely dodged a knife aimed at his head. Another brace of throwing knives was aimed at Sokka, who wisely took cover as Mai jumped down to their floor.

Evidently, Mai was as surprised to see him as he was her, even if it was hard to tell on her face.

"Hey, Zuko," she said in a dull monotone.

Stepping away from his handiwork, he squared off against the girl. "You've gotten better with the knives since I last saw."

"And you became a traitor, apparently."

"Not my first choice." Flicking a stone aimed to her left, Zuko dove to the side in time to dodge another knife.

Sokka poked his head out, only to nearly get a dart to the eye.

"Stay down, Sokka!" Zuko barked.

"Okay."

Mai swept at Zuko's legs, only for him to jump and kick at her head. She pulled a blade and slashed at his leg, but he pulled it back and grabbed her arm.

Slipping out from his grip, she flicked out at his face. Clipping her wrist, he twirled her around and made a jab at her back. Without looking, she managed to block and flick another knife over her shoulder. Mid throw, Zuko grabbed her arms pulled to the side, punching her.

Dipping her shoulder, she took the glancing blow and caught Zuko's knee when he brought it towards her face, then shoved off, slashing at Zuko's chest, but only clipping his shirt.

He dropped back and charged in, body-slamming her into the wall. Zuko held his fist above Mai's head as she slumped to the ground, stunned. Her eyes flicked through a number of emotions; hurt, betrayal, regret, surprise, but not anger.

"What are you going to do, Zuko?" she asked coolly.

Seeing him coil his fist back, Mai closed her eyes.

The clang of metal echoed in the room.

"Sokka! Let's go!"

Opening her eyes, Mai saw Zuko dashing away with the Water Tribe kid.

 _Of course you didn't,_ she thought ruefully. The sudden presence of heat prompted her to move. Right where Zuko's fist had landed, there was a molten divot.

[-]

Zuko led Sokka through the drill, navigating the interior like a rat.

"I thought you didn't know your way around?" Sokka questioned.

"It's easier finding your way out. Besides, if Mai is around, Azula and Ty Lee are probably not far behind, and they've probably gotten the guards to mobilize." Zuko stopped near a large hatch and swung it open. "Get in."

"Do I _have_ to jump in the rock-sludge?"

"Unless you want to walk the entire length of this thing, yes."

Begrudgingly, Sokka complied. 'What about you?"

"We need to deliver the final blow. If you think of anything to help with that, do it."

Nodding, Sokka jumped in.

Shutting the hatch behind the boy, Zuko began climbing up to the top of the drill.

When he emerged at the top, he spotted Azula backing Aang to the wall. Quietly, he ran to them.

Unsurprisingly, she noticed his approaching shadow and turned her attack aimed for Aang at him. Zuko ducked under the blast, and by then, Aang had recovered enough to knock her back and between them.

"Hello, Azula," he said, fire-kicking the princess.

She deftly countered, but the back blast sent her skidding down the slope of the drill. She was able to slow her descent, but gravity had already dragged her out of range for an easy recovery.

"Goodbye, Azula." Turning to Aang, he dusted the kid off. "How far did you get?"

Aang pointed at the cross-shaped cut in the drill's shell, more than an arm's length deep.

"I really wish we could metalbend," Aang panted.

A barrage of boulders from the ramparts slammed into the hull, shaking Zuko out of his thoughts.

"Hey!" Zuko sneered. "Watch what you're doing!"

"They've been doing that ever since I got here," Aang said, ducking as one bounced his way.

Zuko angrily narrowed his eyes at the Earth Kingdom soldiers at the top of the wall.

"Send another one down here, you fools!" Zuko called out. Whether they heard him or not, the next barrage came down. He made for the nearest and slowest once he could get to and dragged it to the cut. "You might want to take a step back for this."

Aang floated off a short distance away and nodded at Zuko.

Carefully gauging the amount of power he was using, he carved the boulder down to an acceptable size and eased it into the opening Aang had created and gently wedged it in.

 _Here goes._

Jumping up, he slammed his feet onto the wedge with a mighty shout. The drill shuddered as the weakened supports gave way from the sudden pressure buildup. Even at his distance, the shockwave nearly knocked Aang off his feet. Underneath their feet, the drill loudly groaned to a halt.

"I think that did it."

Satisfied with a job well done, Zuko and Aang waited for Appa to pick them up and flew back up to the wall where a celebration was already underway.

 **A/N: And here is chapter Twenty-Five.**


	26. Welcome to Ba Sing Se

Zuko looked down on the results of their handiwork. After the front of the drill had spectacularly broken down, the rest had sort of crashed into itself. Unfortunately, the drill was still lodged into the wall, but so far, none of the Fire Nation soldier shad attempted to sneak through, most of them having withdrawn during the chaotic aftermath.

"I think we've had more than enough fun for one day," Zuko said.

Sokka rolled his shoulder around, grinning. "Yep! Nothing like a good day of hard work."

"You hardly did anything, and nothing that could conceivably make you work up a sweat."

"Hey, coming up with ideas under pressure is really stressful."

A short distance away, Aang was talking with the general.

"Thank you for your help, Avatar," General Sung said to Aang, graciously bowing.

"He's probably going to overinflate his role in all of this," Zuko bit quietly.

"Who cares, we saved the city," Katara retorted. "That counts for more."

Aang strode over to them with a spring in his step. "Alight, guys.

Hearing this, one of the soldiers approached them as they were loading onto Appa's saddle.

"Excuse me," he said. "If you wish to enter the city, you'll have to pass through customs."

"…What?"

"Well, we did kind of enter illegally," Iroh conceded.

"Just find the nearest rail and head to the outer wall. You can find customs and affect your immigration into the city."

"Immigration?!" Sokka balked. "We're not here for sight-seeing!"

While remaining silent, Zuko found himself agreeing with the younger teen.

"Still, you did come into our city through an…unusual avenue. I would rather an honored hero not be unduly accosted by bureaucrats."

"Thanks!"

"It should be us thanking you."

Setting off, Aang sank back slightly and pulled off his headband. His hair was blown away, showing his head arrow.

"I won't be needing this for now," he said as he stuffed it into his shirt.

Landing nearby one of the stations

"Hey, we were told to-"

"Passports."

"Passports?"

"We don't have any."

"No passports?! What are those idiots at the bay doing?!"

Before the lady could gain steam, Sokka intervened.

"Can't you make an exception?" he entreated, grabbing Aang and shoving him forward like a favored child. "He's the Avatar."

"Listen, kid, I've seen my share of Avatars in the last week, and your costume is no better the last twenty. At any rate, how did you all get here?"

"We flew," Aang answered.

"Flew? On what?"

"My bison."

The woman leaned out of the booth, blinking at the sky bison scant meters away. Appa was clearly eager for something to eat, growling in agitation at the denial of a meal.

"Very well, child. You're the Avatar. I'll accept that." Quickly stamping the documents, she shoved them at the kids in front of her. "Here's your papers. Now get your animal out of sight before security starts making a fuss. Someone will see you at the next station."

Walking along, Toph stopped short.

"Is that…" she trailed off. Looking around, Zuko caught sight of the pair that had drawn the blind earthbender's attention, who had likewise spotted them, a man with a beard and his pregnant wife.

"Lee, Mushi, Toph," Than called out. "It's wonderful to see you again."

"You as well," Iroh hailed back.

Seeing the confused looks on faces, Zuko stepped in.

"This is Than and Ying," said Zuko. "We met them while traveling to find you. Than, Ying, this is Aang, Katara, and Sokka. And Appa and Momo," he added. Momo appreciated the scratched Ying gave him.

A quick exchange of greetings and Iroh took over the conversation.

"So how have you been since we last saw you?" he asked.

"Mostly safe," Than answered. "There were a few close calls, but we managed. From what I've gathered, it appears we've been following you most of this time."

"I'm glad your journey has been a safe one. I see your little one is still on their way."

"We're expecting any day, now. Truly a blessing to have reached the city."

Aang loaded up on Appa, riding alongside the train while the others made small talk Than and Ying.

Toph leaned back in her seat as the others marveled the sight of Ba Sing Se. "Back in the city. Great."

"You've been here before?" Zuko asked.

"Yeah, my family owns an estate in the inner ring."

"Ah."

Sokka made a face. "What's the problem? It's amazing!"

"It's just a bunch of walls and rules," Toph countered. "You wait, you'll get sick of it in a couple of days. Then again, Zuko might break something along the way. Fingers crossed."

"Your confidence is awe-inspiring," Zuko bit sarcastically.

At the train station, the young couple bid their farewells.

"It was an honor to meet you, Avatar," said Than, bowing.

"May your future travels be peaceful," Ying added.

Watching them leave, the GAang gathered around. While most were still waving, they approached by a woman in green robes and a large smile across her face.

"Hello, my name is Joo Dee," she said. "I have been given the great honor of showing the Avatar around Ba Sing Se. And you must be Sokka, Katara, Toph, Lee, and Mushi! Welcome to our wonderful city. Shall we get started?"

"Yes," Sokka replied eagerly, "We have information about the Fire Nation army that we need to deliver to the Earth King, immediately."

"Great! Let's begin our tour. And then I'll show you to your new home here. I think you'll like it."

"Ugh! Maybe you missed what I said. We need to talk to the king about the War, it's important."

"You're in Ba Sing Se now. Everyone is safe here."

 _Okay, that's…kind of creepy,_ Zuko thought. Something about the air around her was off, forced.

Before he could spend much time pondering what was wrong, the woman led them to a fine carriage, which began their tour of the city.

The outermost portion of the inner rings was little more than a slum, people packed together. Joo Dee then went into what was clearly a well-rehearsed speech.

"This is where our newest arrivals live, as well as our craftsman and artisans, people that work with their hands. It's so quaint and lively!" It did not take a genius to spot the unsavory characters lurking in the alleyways. "You do want to watch your step, though."

The fact that a nervous edge crept into her voice was worrying.

The longer the tour dragged on, the more they grew uncomfortable, which was not helped by the fact that Joo Dee's smile never faltered for a moment and pointedly ignored any attempts at mentioning the war.

"Is that woman deaf?" Sokka asked as the woman in question led them to their next sight-seeing destination in the middle ring. "She only seems to hear every other word I say."

Toph scoffed "It's called 'being handled'. Get used to it."

Looking around, Iroh sighed contently at the smells of tea wafting in the breeze.

"It would be nice to open a tea shop in a place like this."

"Uncle, we're trying to stop a war. We didn't come here for the tourism and business opportunities."

"There's nothing wrong in planning for the future."

[-]

"The Upper Ring is home to our most important citizens. Your house is not too far from here!"

"What's inside that wall?"

"And who're the mean-looking guys in robes?"

"Inside is the Royal Palace. Those men are agents of the Dai Li, the cultural authority of Ba Sing Se. They are the guardians of all our traditions."

"Can we see the king now?"

"Oh no, one doesn't just pop in on the Earth King!"

Giving the Dai Li another look over, Zuko noted that they seemed less friendly than the Imperial Firebenders. At least with them you could imagine less intimidating expressions underneath them. The Dai Li seemed more…openly hostile.

Eventually, they pulled up to a fancy house.

"Here we are!" Joo Dee announced. "Your new home."

Admittedly, it was a rather nice estate. A nice place for Appa to lounge while everyone did something productive. Which made Zuko wonder how all of it was ready for them despite the fact that they had not been in the city for more than a day.

"More good news! Your request for an audience with the Earth King is being processed, and should be put through in about month. Much more quickly than usual."

"A month?!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Six to eight weeks, actually. Isn't it nice? I think you'll really enjoy it here."

"I think we would enjoy it more if we weren't staying for so long. Can't we see the Earth King any sooner?"

"The Earth King is very busy running the finest city in the world, but he will see you as soon as time permits. At any rate, why don't you go get some rest ? Someone will be over with dinner, later."

Loading back into the carriage, the unsettling woman left the party at their temporary house. Once Joo Dee was out of sight, the group let out something resembling a collective sigh.

"I really don't care for that woman," Zuko muttered.

"Well, it is a nice place," Katara conceded.

While Aang tended to Appa and Toph found some cushions to crash on, joined more gracefully by Iroh, Sokka posted himself at the front door and looked out the window.

"It looks like some of the neighbors are checking us out," he said lowly.

Zuko joined him and narrowed his eyes. "Let's say hello."

Shadows lengthened on the door, which tepidly opened, revealing a little, old man

"You're the Avatar!" he said. "I heard you were in town. "I'm Pong."

Aang smiled bashfully and scratched the back of his head. "Nice to meet you, Pong."

Introductions out of the way, Sokka made use of the tact he was known for.

"What's going on around here? What's up with Joo Dee, and why won't she say anything about the war?"

That is to say, his glaring lack of such.

"War?" Pong sputtered. "W-What war?"

Zuko decided to add his own contribution to the interrogation. "Why are you scared?"

"S-scared?"

"I can feel you shaking," Toph pointed out.

 _And I can smell the fear radiating off of him?_ Zuko thought. A ping at the edge of his senses made his ears perk up. _We're being watched._

"Look, I'm just a minor government official," Pong said quietly, looking to the sides to make sure no one was close enough to listen. "I've waited three years to get this house. I don't want go get into trouble."

"In trouble with who?" Katara asked, but Pong shushed her.

"Listen, you can't mention the War here. And whatever you do, stay away from the Dai Li." With that, Pong shut his door again.

Retreating back to their house, the gang sat around.

"I don't like this," Katara said quietly.

"I was beginning to wonder why things were so calm," Zuko added.

"And we still need to see the Earth King," Sokka complained. "What's stopping us from going in there right now?"

"I doubt they would just let us inside. I get the feeling that the Dai Li would take exception to our intrusions."

"The Avatar is supposed to support balance," Aang placated. "We won't achieve that by attacking the people we're asking for help."

"Especially when this is the last major bastion against the Fire Nation," Katara reasoned.

Zuko glanced at Sokka and sighed. "Fine," the older teen groused. "We'll give them a month. After that, we're skipping the bureaucracy and going for a direct appeal."

Toph elbowed Zuko in the ribs. "Relax, princess. We still have plenty to do in the meantime."

"Right."

[-]

Arriving in the pool of memories, Zuko and Aang found themselves next to a man in front of an army, fully arrayed for battle. Thousands of Earth Kingdom soldiers stood prepared to face their adversary.

 _Sixteen Years Ago…_

"Men!" Shan called out. "My brothers-in-arms, the Fire Nation army is approaching, with the Dragon of the West at its head. They say they will march over us, take this valley in a day. I say we make them choke of those words!"

The soldiers roared their approval.

"Today we smash the Fire Nation here, at Heisei Valley!"

Another roar.

"With the forces brought against us, there will be sacrifices. All I ask is that for every one of us they kill today, they suffer ten!"

The opposing army was already over the horizon and still marching towards them. Shan had his forces spread out somewhat. All they had to do was buy those set up deeper in the valley to set their traps up then drag the enemy through their preparations.

Watching the developments, Shan saw the first salvo from the enemy catapults as it hurled towards them.

"Walls up!" he barked.

Across their lines, stone walls popped up to block the missiles.

 _So it begins…_ he thought.

Memories flooded past and into the next scene.

Trench to trench, they kept falling back, carpeting the land with blood and bodies. So much of the ground had been scorched, the valley was either black, brown, or red.

Respite was in short supply, even as the week dragged on and the Fire Nation's battle tempo puttered out. Shan's forces were dwindling in every skirmish and there never was a promise of reinforcements. Other resources had been running low as well: food, medical supplies, any sort of ammunition that was not the ground beneath their feet.

 _But we're still holding,_ Shan reminded himself. Other battles against the Dragon of the West had not gone as well or lasted as long as they had.

A corporal ran up to him. "Colonel, the Fire Nation is calling for parley."

"Parley?"

"Yes, sir."

"…Fine. Let's hear what they have to say."

Marching to the midpoint of the battlefield, Shan was able to get a good look at the Fire Nation's crown prince. He was aging, but apart from the greying and balding, his body showed little sign of yielding to the passage of time.

"Colonel Shan, is it? You and your men have fought admirably. Surrender now and I promise you will be treated fairly."

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that? After what happened in Hu Xin?"

"I wasn't at Hu Xin. And I am not those men."

Shan pondered the prince's words. "Still, do you expect me to yield? To roll over and let you through?"

"Your forces are spread thin and your lines are beginning to falter. I am offering you a chance to save their lives."

"If you were in my place, would you surrender? I decline. I'll look for you on the battlefield."

Zuko felt the scene change to something familiar. Only this time, he got to see the moments leading up to the battle.

Hundreds of Fire Nation soldiers had been crushed by the General. Likewise, every Earth Kingdom soldier had been cut down. The battle was still raging in the distance, his men fighting to the last.

"Come out and face me, Dragon!" Shan challenged.

Striding across the field like a furious avatar of war, General Iroh looked as if wreathed in flames. Letting loose a blast of fire, the Dragon aimed it at the young colonel.

Slamming his foot down, Shan erected a wall between them. Unsurprisingly, the wall shattered at the impact, but Shan had already made his next move, jumping out and slinging a trio of boulders.

The Fire Nation General blasted them out of the air, but was nearly blindsided by the ground cracking underneath him. He hopped to the side and continued his assault, breathing out flames.

Loosening the soil, Shan kicked up enough dust to obscure his foe's vision as he wrenched another hunk of earth up and slammed it down on the Dragon's position. Before he could recover to make sure the man was dead, a blast of fire came at him.

Shan ducked to the side and scooped up some rocks, hurling it into the dissipating cloud. His opponent was hardly deterred, expertly dodging and fighting simultaneously, and he was still keeping up with the steadily increasing pace of Shan's attacks.

As if he was toying with him.

With a furious roar, Shan slammed his fists onto the ground, splitting and shattering the ground beneath them and around them. He then pushed the chunks of rock at the Fire Nation general, but a fierce explosion tore through the barrage, showering him with dust and pebbles.

The Dragon of the West was still advancing, and this time there was no denying that the fire danced around him, awaiting his command. It was all Shan could do to keep from being fried by the older man, scrambling and throwing comparatively feeble countermeasures to stay ahead.

Finally, he dropped to one knee, and the enemy general moved for the killing blow.

Tracing his fingers in the air, Iroh charged up a bolt of lightning. The cold-blooded fire.

Exhausted, in the open, and on bad footing, Shan watched as the bolt of lightning streaked towards him, striking him in the chest. For a moment, there was agony.

And then there was nothing.

[-]

 _Present Day_

Waves crashed gently along the sides of the ferry headed for Ba Sing Se. Jet pensively chewed on the straw he had scrounged up before boarding. Smellerbee and Longshot were not far, keeping an eye out for potential threats, even if there were not any for miles.

Wincing, Jet absently rubbed his shoulder. The bruises from his fight with Aang and Katara had faded months ago, but it still felt like he had gotten them yesterday. It was the betrayal that was still festering.

Maybe one day, he could show them that he had changed after that day. If he ever found them again. That was part of his reason for leading the Freedom Fighters to Ba Sing Se; for a new beginning.

"Ugh! I'm sick of eating rotten food, sleeping in the dirt. I'm tired of living like this."

Following his ears, his eyes trailed to a trio of girls idling near the ship's bow in time to see one of them chucking a bowl out into the water.

The closest had her brown hair done up in a braid, and had big, round, brown eyes that twinkled playfully. She also was balancing on the side of the ship as if the waves rocking the boat were not threatening to knock her overboard.

The furthest had jet black hair neatly held behind her head with a barrette style clip, lazing on the deck and twirling dinner knives between her fingers.

 _Circus performers, maybe?_ Jet pondered.

And the third stared out into the distance. Her hair color fell into the middle of the spectrum of the other girls, a dark brown that was done into a side plait. A closer look and Jet saw the third girl's eyes were a dark amber, not an entirely uncommon eye color, but stood out nonetheless. Judging by how the other girls deferred to her, she was apparently the leader.

"Aren't we all?" Jet asked rhetorically. Two of the girls looked at who was addressing them. _Might as well make some new friends._ "My name's Jet and these are my Freedom Fighters, Smellerbee and Longshot."

"Hey," Smellerbee said. Longshot, ever the silent one, merely nodded.

"Hello," she said in a clipped tone. "I'm Li. This is Yun and Jia."

"Here's the deal. I hear the captain's eating like a king while the refugees have to feed off his scraps. Doesn't seem fair, does it?"

"Not in the slightest."

"A question," Yun piped. "What kind of king is he eating like?"

"The fat, happy kind," Jet answered.

The girl's eyes brightened a bit more, and even the broodier Jia seemed to perk up slightly at the prospect.

 _Now, the moment of truth,_ Jet thought. "So? Wanna help us 'liberate' some of it?"

Li smirked ever so slightly, her friends awaiting her answer. "Gladly."

 **A/N: Yes, everyone's favorite uncle killed the previous Avatar and is helping the next. Would that be considered…*puts on sunglasses*…Iroh-ny?**

 **And you can probably guess who's hitching a ride into Ba Sing Se with the Freedom Fighters.**


	27. Party Crashers

The rush upon returning to reality was lessened with each dive they made. Barring highly traumatic events, it was usually a clean shift.

Zuko shook his head as his mind cleared. "So that's all of Shan's memories. I thought it would have taken longer."

"It's only been a couple of weeks," Aang shrugged.

"At least we can move on to the next Avatar."

Katara came running through the front door with a piece of paper in her hands.

"I got it!" she loudly proclaimed. "I know how we're going to see the Earth King!"

"How are we supposed to do that?" Toph asked, then switched to mimicking their least favorite person during their stay in Ba Sing Se. "One does not simply pop in on the Earth King!"

"The king is having a party at the palace tonight for his pet bear."

"You mean 'platypus bear', right?" Aang asked.

"No, it just says 'bear'."

"Certainly you mean his pet skunk bear," Sokka presumed.

"Or his armadillo bear," Toph suggested.

"Gopher bear?" Zuko wondered aloud, raising an eyebrow.

Katara looked back at the flyer. "Just…bear."

There was a moment of silence.

"This place is weird," Toph concluded.

"It's not like we're much better," Zuko grumbled.

"The palace will be packed," Katara explained. "We can sneak in with the crowd!"

Toph laid back and promptly shot the idea down. "Won't work."

"Why not?"

"Well, no offense to you simple country folk, but a real society crowd will spot you a mile away." Idly grabbing a pastry, she chomped down. "You've got no manners."

"Excuse me? _I've_ got no manners?! You're not exactly 'lady fancy fingers'."

"I learned proper society behavior and _chose_ to leave it. You never learned anything. And frankly, it's a little too late."

"Aha, but you learned it!" Sokka exclaimed. "You could teach us!"

Aang jumped up and into the conversation. "Yeah, we're already working on mastering the elements. How hard could manners be ?" Pulling off a curtain, he draped it over his shoulders and mustered a puffy and sophisticated voice. "Good evening, Mr. Sokka Water Tribe, Ms. Katara Water Tribe, Lord Momo of the Momo Dynasty. Your Momo-ness."

The flying lemur looked at the airbender and slightly bowed back, then Sokka joined into the madness.

"How do you do," Sokka said, matching the same stuffiness of Aang's imitation. The two then bowed at each other at an increasing pace until they slammed into each other, mutually knocking each other to the floor.

Toph tapped her chin. "Katara might be able to pull it off. Lee too, but that's because of…you know. You two would be lucky to pass as busboys!"

"But I feel so fancy."

"What do you say, Thunder-Toes?"

Zuko drummed his finger on the table. "Maybe…but I would be rather obvious; I would probably end up drawing attention to the rest of you. That doesn't mean I can't help, though…"

While Toph proceeded to drag Katara off for a quick rundown for noble protocol and etiquette, Zuko went out and retrieved his gear from Appa's saddle, taking quick stock of what he had on hand. It was a far cry from what he would normally use for such an occasion, but it would do in a pinch, and he had worked with less in the past.

"I'm working on Plan B."

"What do we do once inside? Even if we manage to get inside, how are we going to talk to the Earth King before his guards intervene?"

"Uh…"

Feeling an eye twitch, Zuko ran a hand through his hair. "I guess I better come up with Plan C, too."

[-]

Evening had come when the girls stepped out of their room, dressed in exquisite Earth Kingdom dresses, make up on their faces, and fans in hand. All in all, it would be difficult to pick them from a large crowd, even if they did burst into a fit of giggles.

"You look beautiful," Aang said dreamily. Sokka flicked the boy in the forehead.

Toph whipped her fan in front of Katara before she could accept the compliment. "Don't talk to the commoners, Katara. First rule of society."

Zuko allowed a dry snort. "We'll get in the palace, and then one of us will find a way to let you in through the side gate. I hope you have some sort of plan before you talk to the Earth King, because I don't think we'll have another shot."

"See you soon."

Without a second glance, Zuko slipped out into the night and began stalking towards the palace.

Another ping at the edge of his senses alerted him to the tail following him, prompting Zuko to find a place to hold up as his pursuer, a Dai Li agent, closed distance. The moment he was in range, Zuko snaked his arm around the man's neck and choked him to unconsciousness, setting him down in the shadows before moving along.

Approaching the palace, Zuko jumped onto the wall began scaling the building. At the top, he nearly jumped onto another Dai Li agent.

"Hey!" was the only word he said before Zuko grabbed him and slammed him against the roof. Zuko held his breath and waited to see if anyone else would come to check on the man. When no one showed up, relieved the man of his uniform.

He found access to the interior and wove his way through the guards, closely watching other Dai Li agents and appropriately mimicking their movements.

Once he was confident he would not stick out like a sore thumb, he stepped into the light of the festivities. Toph and Katara had made it inside, but were being followed by one of the guests rather closely. Zuko felt a slight twitch in his nose. Something about how the man smelled was off-putting.

Shortly after, he spotted Sokka and Aang, dressed as busboys.

 _Could you have possibly waited?_ Zuko mentally grumbled, grinding his teeth together.

Sticking to the shadows, he kept a close watch in case someone decided to ambush them.

Joo Dee suddenly made an appearance, causing a stir amongst the others, resulting in a cavalcade of increasingly disruptive accidents that wound up with Aang stealing everyone's beverages to make colorful displays until the gong sounded.

As soon as the Earth King's litter was brought to its resting place, Aang air-scootered across the table.

"Greetings, your Majesty!" Aang chirped.

While the guards stepped in between Aang the and Earth King, Zuko saw sets of stone hands – and only the hands – grab Toph and Katara and drag them off.

 _Keep calm_ , Zuko reminded himself, following the Dai Li agents as the led the girls away.

A short walk down a series of halls, he saw the girls disappear. He approached calmly and carefully, but still had to resist the urge to flinch when he was addressed by the Dai Li at the door.

"You are permitted to enter. Long Feng is expecting you…Lee."

The Dai Li agent opened the door and ushered him into the library in time to hear Sokka yelling at the weird-smelling man.

"Why won't you let us talk to the king?" Sokka demanded. "We have information that could defeat the Fire Nation!"

"The Earth King has no time to get involved with political squabbles and the day to day minutia of military activities," Long Feng calmly replied. He then noticed the newcomer. "Ah, there you are. Please, join your friends."

Zuko narrowed his eyes and removed the hat and stood next to Aang.

"This could be the most important thing he's heard," Aang reasoned.

Long Feng shifted his weight and leaned on tented hands. "What's most important to his royal majesty is maintaining the _cultural_ heritage of Ba Sing Se. All his duties relate to issuing decrees on such matters. It's _my_ job to oversee the rest of the city's resources, including the military."

"I'm not really impressed," Zuko said, crossing his arms. "From what I could see, you're in denial about the war that is marching to your walls."

"I am _fully_ aware of the happenings outside these walls. It is for that very reason that such secretive measures are in place." Standing, Long Feng looked down on them. "Have you seen a city under siege? Constant news of an escalating war will throw the citizens of Ba Sing Se into a state of panic. Our economy would be ruined, our peaceful way of life – our traditions – would disappear. The city would be destroyed from the inside, more than what any foreign invasion could manage. In silencing talk of conflict, Ba Sing Se remains a peaceful, orderly utopia; the last bastion of defense."

"Then what are you planning on doing? Wait until the Fire Lord figures out how to knock down the entire wall at once? Or find some other way to ignore it?"

"I suppose that will be up to you."

"You can't keep the truth from all these people," Katara spoke up. "They _have_ to know."

"Until now, you've been treated as our honored guest. But from now on, you will be watched every moment by Dai Li agents. If you mention the War to anyone, you will be expelled from the city. Something that would not be hard to accomplished, given young Lee's resemblance of a certain Fire Nation fugitive. His uncle, as well."

Zuko's jaw tightened, but Long Feng picked up on the lad's nervous tension.

"I thought you would see reason. Now that we have laid ridiculous notions to rest, Joo Dee will show you to your home."

A familiar shade and style of green robes stepped in front of them, wearing a face that was entirely foreign.

"Come with me, please."

"What happened to Joo Dee?" Katara asked, trying to process what had just transpired.

"I'm Joo Dee. I'll be your host as long as you're in our wonderful city."

[-]

 _Many Years Ago…_

The heat was unbearable, even if they were not actually present in the location the memories had taken them. Zuko relished in the warmth, but Aang was far less comfortable.

Kinna had her arms pulled to the sides, held up and in place with chains, feeling every cell in her body dry out from the arid environment, all designed to hold her in place. It was a prison designed to hold and break waterbenders, a task it excelled at.

Aang cringed at the unbidden memories of the prison off the Earth Kingdom's shores that had held a large number of earthbenders before their liberation. He remembered the looks on their faces. Somehow, it looked as if they had gotten off easy.

The guards were coming through again to check on her. Kinna raised her head, blinking in hopes to clear her vision, which had been deteriorating since the beginning of her confinement.

As the guards prepared to administer her water ration, the prisoner narrowed her eyes

 _Now or never._

Without hand motions, with hardly any indication that she was doing much of anything at all, the tiny amount of water tugged the spoon out of the guard's hand. The water hanging in front of her face, Kinna willed it forward, striking the man in the eyes, sending him reeling backwards.

His friends took exception to the act, and after the previous escape, had been standing vigilant and pulled her arms tight. The blob of water struck the guard on her left, loosing her arm to pull the third to the cell's side eliminate him.

Freezing the water, she smashed her way out of her cell and checked the guards for keys.

"Aha!" she rasped happily.

She ran from cell to cell, unlocking the restraints for her fellows. Apart from a few corpses that the guards had not yet gotten to, nearly every waterbender she found quickly got to their feet, finishing off the guards and stealing their weapons.

It was then that a squad arrived to investigate. Eyes widened at the sight of prisoners wandering free and their captors dead on the floor.

"What the-!"

Stabbing herself in the stomach, Kinna pulled driblets of blood, mixing it with the water, and launched it forward as hard as she could, punching holes in the armor of the of guards. Some staggered from the punctures, but enough avoided the onslaught to begin firebending.

The escapees moved to defend themselves with whatever they could find. The sedentary prison life had sapped their strength and speed, but numbers were making up for most of the disadvantages at that moment.

Dispatching the initial opposition, the prisoners made their way to the exit and clogged up a choke point with fallen foes and allies and made use of the weapons the found laying around.

Holding off the first wave built up their confidence until the alarm sounded above their heads. More guards could be heard storming the cellblocks, cutting off their escape.

"What do we do?" one of the escapees barked harshly.

"Fight to the last!" Kinna declared.

What little hesitation there was evaporated as blasts of fire spattered their cover. Their backs straightened, steeling themselves for a final stand.

There was next to little ambient moisture to make use of, even so close to the surface. The bullets of blood would have to do. Mirroring the wounds on her right, Kinna drove her fingers into her left side and flicked her fingers out at the guards.

More than a score had fallen when they realized what she was doing and began whittling down her ammunition to nothing. One by one, they fell until Kinna was the last one standing. Her eyes began to darken until a sharp pain entered her chest.

Looking down, she saw the arrow that had found its mark.

The light in her eyes faded ever so slightly when a ball of fire raced towards her.

 **A/N: On that note: Merry Christmas, everyone!**

 **Thanks to a number of unforeseen interferences and complications, my goal to finish Book Two by the New Year is likely to go unfulfilled unless I suddenly fall into an industrious writing groove. I still plan on getting one more chapter to release on New Year's Day (the anniversary for this story), so there's that.**

 **On the plus side, I am going to put up the first sneak peak at the fan-fics I will be working on for the upcoming year. Titled** _ **Previews 2017,**_ **it will be listed a under the X-Over category, as it will contain snippets from a number of different universes, the first of which will be the Futuristic Avatar project that I've been working on. Others included, in no particular order:** _ **Shadows of Time**_ **(sequel to** _ **the Hunger Games: Embers**_ **),** _ **Naruto: RE**_ **, and** _ **the Apocalyptian Saga.**_


	28. It's Quiet

It was almost morning when the party crashers returned to their temporary homes. Zuko could sense the Dai Li keeping active watch on them, and Toph was especially guarded, almost more than Sokka. Then again, the other boy's default mode involved paranoia, and not all of it unjustified.

Uncle Iroh was sitting on one of the cushions with Momo on his lap, stroking the lemur behind the ears.

"There you are," Iroh said, rising to greet them. "I was wondering when you would return,"

"Long story, Sokka grumbled.

"Where were you all day?" Zuko asked.

"Out shopping," Iroh answered with a grin that faded as soon as he saw the looks on their faces. Once the new Joo Dee had left, Zuko ditched the Dai Li uniform and the girls changed out, affording the old man some time to drum up some tea.

After a quick rundown of their misadventures at the party, Iroh stroked his beard thoughtfully. Either he keeping a tight rein on his reaction, or he was already suspicious of what was happening.

On the plus side, the Dai Li had not yet burst into the house, so they had not breached their end of the deal as far as Long Feng was concerned. Yet.

[-]

 _Her eyes had gone blurry. Slow at first, but now it was hard to ignore. Still, the light of a full moon streamed through the openings in the ceiling. The clangs in the prison were_

" _Hama…" Kinna rasped. "Help…"_

 _Her friend laughed rustily, seemingly unaware of anyone else besides her immediate victim as she ambled towards the exit, crushing the struggling guard against the ground._

[-]

"What was that?" Zuko wondered aloud. He massaged his temples, trying to alleviate an oncoming headache.

"Another waterbender had escaped?"

Katara immediately perked up. "What?"

"Shut up, Kanna!" Zuko snapped, but immediately regretted it.

The room went silent, but the combined stares of Sokka and Katara made up the difference.

"Why did you call me Kanna?" Katara asked.

"She was one of the past Avatar's friends," Aang explained. "I think Zuko's having trouble separating the memories."

"Aang, that's our Gran-gran's name."

"Did she ever mention someone named Kinna?"

There was a knock at the door before. By virtue of being the closest to the door, Zuko rose to see who had shown up, groggily opening the door.

Auburn hair and blue eyes, she was dressed like a number of the guards they had seen, the ones responsible for the rest of Ba Sing Se. One hand rested on her hip near her sword. Her eyes widened, then narrowed.

"You…" she sneered.

"Uh…Is there a problem?" Sokka asked from across the room.

"I'm not-" Zuko began to say when a boot to the chest came as a surprise, but everyone was on their feet as the scuffle moved inside.

"What's your problem!?" Zuko growled, deflecting a jab aimed below the belt.

"You mean you don't remember? Maybe you'll remember this." Flipping a fan from her belt, she pressed it to Zuko's neck. The banished prince winced at the sensation of metal against his skin.

"Suki!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Who's Suki?" Zuko asked.

" _I'm_ Suki," the redhead said. "From Kiyoshi Island. Surely you remember that much."

. Zuko blinked a few times. "…Oh. Nice to meet you again."

Joo Dee 2.0 rushed through the door, frantically examining the damage in an oxymoronically calm manner.

"What is going on here?" she inquired, polite as ever.

"Lover's quarrel," Toph shrugged, earning a trio of less than amused glares.

Joo Dee took a moment to process the turn of events before reinforcing her smile. "I see. I will send for someone to clean up this shortly."

"What are you doing here?" Katara asked.

"I was asked to escort Suki to the Avatar's estate."

"Thank you, Joo Dee," Suki said, still giving Zuko and Toph stink-eye.

A lingering awkward silence, Joo Dee glancing at everyone before withdrawing.

"It's good to see you," Suki exclaimed, embracing Sokka, pecking him on the cheek, causing the boy to blush.

"You look so different without your makeup," said Katara. "And the new outfit."

Suki rolled her eyes. "The crabby lady we're assigned to makes all the security guards wear them." And look at you, sleeveless guy. Been working out?"

Sokka beamed under the attention, moving around his arms for show. "Ahhh, I'll grab a tree branch and do a few chin touches every now and then. Nothing major."

"I see. And how did you end up with…him?"

"Long story short: he's helping us. Aren't you, Lee?"

"Yes," Zuko said, stiffly pouring tea. "Helping."

Suki looked at Sokka with a raised eyebrow, but quickly caught the message. Sokka then grabbed Toph, pulling her around like favorite child, even though the girl had a pastry stuffed into her mouth.

"This here is Toph."

The girl in question waved. "Hey."

"So what brought you to Be Sing Se, Suki," Katara asked.

"After you left Kyoshi, we wanted to find a way to help people. We ended up escorting some refugees and we've been here ever since. And the Avatar arriving in Ba Sing Se was big news. When the Kyoshi Warriors were rotated out of the security at Full Moon Bay, I arranged for a trip here."

"Are the other Kyoshi Warriors around?"

"The others are at post or resting before we go out into the field again."

Sokka frowned slightly. "Oh…"

"Don't worry," Suki said. "It's not for another week a least." Momo flew onto the girl's shoulder, chirping happily. "Hi, Momo! Good to see you too." Smiling, she gave the lemur scratches, then looked at Aang. "So what have you all gotten up to?"

[-]

Finished with a day of work, Jet strolled back to the apartment, rolling a piece of straw in his mouths as he mentally reviewed what had transpired over the last year.

Most of the Freedom Fighters had scattered after the incident at the dam that had resulted in their disbandment and were working their way to Ba Sing Se.

While he and the other Freedom Fighters had all but sworn off of vengeance, they were not content to just sit around and wait while others went off to war. Unfortunately, he doubted anyone would take a group of kids to train as soldiers, even if they already had experience fighting the Fire Nation.

For the interim, they had taken refuge in an apartment that was meant for a much smaller group, perhaps a family of four. Thankfully, most of them had gotten jobs to pull in some money, and no one had really bothered them. Longshot and Yun had spruced the apartment up, Jia was almost obsessed with keeping the place clean, and someone was always around to keep unwanted guests out.

Sliding through door, he slumped against the nearest wall, arms crossed behind his head, glancing around the apartment.

 _Looks like I was the last one finished today,_ Jet thought.

Smellerbee was snoring in the next room, Longshot was working on dinner. Li, Yun, and Jia were huddled in a corner.

Jet had been slowly getting to know them. The three were old friends and had spent considerable time traveling. They had shared some interesting news about happenings abroad, some of which made Jet want to go out and back into the fight.

"Hey, Jet," Yun called out. "We're running short on some things. Longshot's got a list."

"I'll go out with Li to pick them up."

The market was crowded, and the produce could have been fresher, but they had a surplus of coin when they had left with all the items they had set out for.

On the way back, they saw a large crowd gathering around a well with a man perched on the top.

"What's that old man doing?" Jet wondered aloud.

The man in question looked haggard, dirty and greasy, hair sticking out wildly as his posture as he paced back and forth.

"You fools are all blind," he declared, "unaware of the dangers beyond your walls. The firebenders are out there, approaching. They intend to destroy us, without relent, without mercy. They will attack us until they burn this city to the ground!"

Without warning, the old man pointed vigorously in their direction.

"You are one of them, child; spawn of evil!"

Li and Jet glanced at each other and looked around to see who he was pointing at, as did everyone around them.

While the man continued his rant, a pair of men in dark green robes and wide-brimmed hats approached. The crowd parted for them, giving more space than what was strictly necessary. The man took notice and turned his attention to them.

"But look! Agents of the Liar approach!"

The man was muffled and restrained before he could continue, struggling as he was dragged off by the men in dark green.

Jet tapped Li's shoulder and beckoned her to follow as the crowd dispersed and made their way to the apartment.

 **A/N: One year. One solid year with over sixty-thousand words, 82 favorites, 129 followers, 54 reviews, and almost twenty-three thousand views.**

 **Today marks the one year anniversary for Avatar: Finding Yourself. Thank you for your support for this story. I hope you had a most excellent new year's celebration, and I hope you continue to enjoy this story as much as I enjoy working on it.**


	29. Too Quiet

"…And that's pretty much all we've done," Sokka said, concluding an abbreviated accounting of their adventures. For Zuko, it helped fill in several gaps during his pursuit and explained a number of their decisions.

Suki was quite thrilled. "Wow, you've certainly been busy."

Zuko had made sure to keep some distance between Suki and himself, as the girl was still sending him periodic glances of barely constrained fury.

"Hey, Flappy," Toph groused, "could you stop staring."

Suki was taken slightly aback at the hostile tone. The Kyoshi warrior's anger was still simmering, but reined in for the sake of her friends.

"I'm not ready to forgive you, _Lee_ ," she said coldly, "but I'll trust the Avatar's judgment. Just don't try anything."

Zuko kept a level gaze on the girl and spoke with an even voice. "Considering I'm an active fugitive from my own people, I have more to lose than gain in betraying the Avatar."

To everyone's gratitude and relief - especially Zuko's - no one made any airs of pretending nothing was amiss or indirectly implied with that statement.

[-]

It had been a long time since Jet had been on edge. Paranoia was something he had grown up with, lived with, breathed and consumed in abundance. All those moments of the past were miniscule compared to now.

The shadows were less inviting, and open spaces had become suddenly undesirable. Ever shade of green, which were aplenty in Ba Sing Se, were like thinly veiled threats. Being among the crowds felt like he was waiting for someone to attack him, and the throngs of people packed into the Lower Ring made avoiding such crowds nearly impossible.

Glancing aside, Li maintained an emotionless mask. Still, it was clear that she was disturbed by this development.

Arriving at their apartment, they surreptitiously made their entrance, calmly enough that their fellows did not do much more than glance in their direction when they slipped in the door. A second glance drew a more attention from the others as they caught on the readily apparent tension.

"Everyone, listen up," Jet quietly called. "Have any of you seen anything some men in green robes?"

"I've been hearing about them," Smellerbee said. "They're the Dai Li. Cultural police or something. What's up?"

"Some old coot was ranting about the war and they picked him off the street, in broad daylight."

"They can pick up pretty much anyone, near as I can tell," Jia said lazily.

Jet rolled the bit of straw in him mouth. "Did you ever hear a reason?"

"No."

"It's not like they'd advertise that to everyone," Smellerbee added.

Jet plopped onto a cushion they had fished from a trash heap.

"We're going to need to watch our backs," he declared. "Nobody goes out alone."

[-]

" _-No!"_

" _Ha—you…"_

Suddenly, Zuko and Aang were ejected from the memories. The two took some time to reacclimate to their surroundings.

Suki was still with Sokka, the two having been enjoying the other's company. Katara was out with Appa. Toph was sprawled out on a cushion, picking at her feet, much to Katara's disgust. Momo had taken residence on Iroh's lap, the kindly man absently scratching the critter behind the ears.

"I think we've hit a dead end," Aang said.

"Perfect," Zuko hissed bitterly.

Their routine for the past weeks had slowed down considerably, unable to get past a certain point in Kinna's memories before they fragmented to unintelligibility. Zuko stood up, his frustration edging dangerously close to boiling over. Having to hide the progress from prying eyes made things more difficult and frustrating.

"What's holding us up?" Zuko vented.

"Maybe we've done all we need to do?" Aang offered.

The exiled prince ran a hand through his growing hair. "Yeah, maybe."

"Hey, why don't you try waterbending again?"

Walking over to the pond, Zuko reached for the pond. Seeing the two of them approach, she withdrew from the garden. He felt the water stir, but still nothing close to distinctive movements. Slamming his fist against the side of the pond, Zuko grumbled, unheeding of the dent he left in the ground. Momo and Appa flinched, both at the sudden violent motion and the pulse sent through the ground.

"Easy, there," Iroh cautioned, calming the lemur as he chittered loudly.

"Hey, guys," Katara announced, rushing into the room. "We got something in the mail."

"Another party for the bear?" Sokka asked.

Zuko perked up slightly, still mildly agitated from before. "Who is it for?"

"It's a letter for Toph," she said, holding it out for the addressee.

The earthbender snatched it out of his hand and passed it on to Zuko, plopping beside the confused lad as he looked over the seal."

"Well?"

Zuko popped the seal and began reading. "It's…a letter from your mother." He paused briefly. "Do you want me to read it for you right now?"

Toph licked her lips nervously. "Yeah. Just…sum it up, will you? She can be chatty in her letters."

Patting her shoulder, Zuko read through the letter. "Your mom's here in the city. And she wants to see you."

The earthbender's eyes widened, followed by a play of emotions that Zuko had trouble following.

"I can go with you," Zuko offered. "Since this is partially my fault. I won't have to go inside with you unless you want me to."

Toph considered it for a moment before answering. "Yeah...sure."

[-]

The streets were quiet. Zuko was being quiet, too, but that was more a function him looking every which way, bracing for trouble.

 _Paranoid princess,_ she thought.

Strangely, she did not immediately rebuff his efforts. If there was anything that Toph detested, it was being talked down to, being treated as helpless.

Zuko never did that.

They had established a bond of mutual respect, decorated with playful teasing, mostly from her. Zuko was a good sport about it, too. He complained, sure, but he took the ribbing with remarkable aplomb.

It didn't hurt that he was a good sparring partner. No one else really came close to matching her in a fight.

"This the place?" Zuko asked, interrupting her thoughts.

Toph nodded.

"Remember, if you want to leave or want me to come inside, let me know."

"I can take care of myself!" she said firmly, but softened her tone. "But, thanks."

Zuko leaned against post of the steps to the house as Toph climbed up. Taking a breath, she turned the knob and stepped inside. It was rather dark, but that was not too surprising, as her father had no plans involving the house in the immediate future.

Walking further in, she could not see anyone. Nor was there any sign someone had been there recently, much less the Beifong matriarch.

"Hello?" she called out. "Mom? Anyone home?" _Where is she? There should at least be…uh oh._

A metal shell fell over her, blocking out her vision. Banging her fist on the walls, she pulled herself up to the bars that blocked the only opening she could find and began shouting.

"Hey! Who do you think you're dealing with?"

"An errant child who has strayed too far from home," a familiar voice said.

Before he could make any further overtures of capture, the front wall practically exploded as Zuko made his entrance, throwing a pair of battered goons through the opening. The remaining hirelings encircled the cage, taking up defensive positions.

"There was a door," Yu chided.

The young man's eyes narrowed on the earthbending master. "Yu…" he growled out.

"Yes, I am Yu."

"No, I am me. You are you."

"Yes."

"And Yu."

Toph rolled her eyes at the exchange, quietly chortling to herself. Yu, on the other hand, quirked an eyebrow.

"You're doing that on purpose," Yu reproved.

Zuko shrugged, but kept his guard up. Inside the cage, Toph could feel the ground outside the cage, but the thugs were keeping close watch on her, making sure she did not reach through the bars.

"Master Lee, I implore you allow me to return Toph to her home."

"And if I refuse?"

"What you intend is of no consequence. She will be returned to her father."

"From where I'm standing it doesn't look like she wants to leave."

"It doesn't matter-" Yu cut himself off. "Very well. Get rid of the boy. I'll secure the girl."

Turning away, Master Yu felt half of his moustache burn off as a molten shuriken flew less than a foot from his face, clipping the wall as it looped around and settled, hovering between the boy's hands. The object spun rapidly, even as he let it hang at his side.

"A lavabender?!" Yu gasped.

Zuko charged forward, shuriken trailing behind him, shoulder-checking the poor schmuck who stepped in his way.

Master Yu raised a wall between himself and the boy and kicked a volley of stones when he vaulted the obstacle. The blast of rocks broke the shuriken, but Zuko was close enough to engage the earthbender in a melee. The hired thugs moved towards them, surrounding the dueling men. Zuko glanced over his shoulder, blocking a strike aimed for his back.

The momentary distraction was enough for Yu to send the boy flying up. The ceiling shook at his impact, and shuddered when he launched himself at the nearest collection of thugs. Planting his foot in one's face and flipping back onto the cage.

Looking up, Toph saw ripples spread from where Zuko landed, loud and distinct.

 _Just like the drill…_

From the sounds of things, Zuko was holding his own, but just barely. She needed to get out, and fast.

Feeling the walls of her prison, she took a series of deep breaths. Every theory she had heard of said that no one could bend metal. As far as she knew, that theory had held true for as long as she been earthbending.

She began tapping on the walls, incrementally escalating to pounding her fist against the surface. Along the way, she began to see faint ripples. Not from the metal, but from the earthen impurities _inside_ the metal.

 _That'll have to do,_ she thought, slamming her fists against the walls of the cage and leaning against them. _Come on, metal…budge!_

Drawing her hands back a final time, she slammed her fists against the walls of her cage, leaving an impressive dent.

"Woo!" she cheered. "Toph, you rule."

Working out a plan, she kicked the doors off their hinges, warping them well out of shape, then hurled herself out.

Her feet reconnected with her element, she saw the remaining combatants, including Master Yu, and launched them into the air on spokes of stone, pinning them against the ceiling.

Surveying the wreckage of her family's town home

"Thanks," Zuko panted.

"No problem, Thunder-Toes," Toph beamed.

"So. Metalbending?"

"Eyup! Come on. Let's go spread the news."

[-]

"I thought we were supposed to be turning a new leaf. And isn't the Earth Kingdom supposed to be, you know... our side?"

Longshot nodded his agreement.

Jet narrowed his eyes. This was not how he wanted to live, waiting for his own people to abduct him and his for speaking their minds, for speaking the truth. At any moment, they had to worry about someone listening in and arresting them for mentioning the war raging outside the walls.

"And ignoring the problem is going to make it go away?" Jet retorted.

"What do you intend to do? Storm the palace and talk to the Earth King?" Smellerbee scoffed. "Like we'd be allowed into the Inner Ring. I'm not sure they'd let us leave the Outer Ring."

"Well, we aren't going to make any progress here. Let's find the others."

Leading the group through the crowd, one word cut through the haze.

"-Avatar-"

Jet's ears immediately perked and he homed in on the source. He pushed through the crowd to a small gossiping circle, dragging the motley crew along with him. A pair of old men, one greyed and the other completely bald, were chattering, the rest of the crowd listening intently.

"The Avatar is here?" Jet asked impertinently.

The bald one, annoyed at the interruption, sneered at the boy. "Yeah, kid. Got wax in yer ear?"

"Where is he?"

"How should I know?"

"Probably in the Upper Ring," the other man interjected. "With all the nobles and fancy people, I'd wager."

"How much?" the bald one said after a pause.

"Hm?

"How much do ya wager?"

Jet tuned out the rest of the exchange. If there was anyone who could and would do anything about the present state of Ba Sing Se, Aang would be probably the best person to go to.

The big question was how to talk to Aang without being turned into a smear on the ground.

Yun rushed into the room, puffing.

"Where's Li?" Jia asked.

"Some goons picked her off the street," Yun panted. "Dai Li."

That got everyone's attention. Jia frowned and reached for her knives. Jet checked to make sure his weapons were on hand in case agents burst through the door.

"This is too big of a problem for us to face alone," Jet said.

"Really?" Smellerbee drawled.

"Really. That's why we're going to find the Avatar."

Jia's eyebrows raised infinitesimally.

"It'll be difficult to move a large group around," she stated.

Jet pondered for a moment. "Me, Smellerbee, and Longshot can sneak to the Upper Ring then. Stay in the area and see if you can find any clues as to where they took her."

[-]

"What do you mean someone tried kidnapping you?" Katara railed.

"Not just anyone," Zuko countered. "It was her old master, sent by her parents, I'm guessing."

"Do you think this is Long Feng's doing?" Sokka suggested. "He's clearly in charge of the city, so there's no way he can't know."

"It could be, but I doubt he'd let someone do such a terrible job at it. Especially if it got one of us out of the picture."

"Then again, it would make it easy for him to deny it by having an unwitting stooge take the fall."

"We can't stay here anymore if this is going to keep happening," Katara said, crossing her arms. "If this is Long Feng's doing, things are only going to get worse."

"I'm with-" Toph started, but stopped short. "Someone's at the door."

Everyone, save Iroh, jumped to their feet. Shortly after, they heard a knock. Cautiously, Zuko approached the door. Nodding to the others, he slowly opened it, preparing to make a quick escape in the event someone else who had a grudge against him had come calling.

Standing at the door was a frazzled young man, clearly out of place among the typical high-society folk that was prevalent among the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se. The weapons and cobbled armor indicated a background in insurgency, likely from areas already taken by the Fire Nation.

"Yes," Zuko greeted diplomatically.

"Is the Avatar in?" the lad asked.

"Um…" Zuko looked inside, silently inquiring. Katara moved up and leaned around him.

Narrowing her eyes, she snarled.

"Jet."

 **A/N: That…took way too long. Seriously, almost a third of the year is up and I haven't really done anything with this (or any other stories for that matter) since the start of the year, but that wasn't without cause.**

 **Short version of the long? Among other things, I was working on a novel. It's currently undergoing revision and may be published within the year, depending on how things go.**

 **Anywho, some things to cover: 1) there was no way I would leave out metalbending, 2) things will be rushing from here to the end of Book Two in terms of story pacing, and likely beyond that, and 3) if you want to ask something about the story (OOC moments, continuity errors, errors in general, voicing your theories, etc.), feel free to PM me o rleave a review.**

 **Thank you for your patience and I appreciate the increase of activity, even in my extended absence. If any of this chapter seems rushed, awkward, or is missing something, it's because I was getting annoyed at the lack of progress and started hammering away at it like a madman.**


	30. Have Fun Storming the Castle

"What are you doing here, Jet?" Katara demanded.

Jet hung his head low. "I need your help."

The shock of was short, but Iroh seized the moment to invite the young man inside.

"You look exhausted," he said. "Have some tea!"

An awkward silence settled in the room as Iroh played the perfect host for Jet, receiving no shortage of accusatory looks from the waterbender in the room. Slowly, everyone settled down around the table.

"So…who is this guy?" Toph asked as Iroh served the tea.

"This," Katara said with no shortage of venom, "is Jet. The leader of the 'Freedom Fighters'. Why are you here in the first place?"

Jet deflated slightly, staring into the cup in his hand. Aang glanced at the young man.

"You said you needed our help. What happened?"

"One of my friends was kidnapped. By the Dai Li."

A hush fell over the room, waiting on bated breath.

"Who did they kidnap?" Katara asked.

"One of the people we picked up entering Ba Sing Se. Her name's Li."

"Sounds like you two got close."

"Am I detecting a hint of jealousy there?" Toph asked teasingly.

Katara whipped around, ready to lay into the earthbender. Mercifully, Jet answered before the two could come to blows.

"Nothing like that."

Aang moved the conversation along. "Why are you by yourself?"

"I wanted to talk to you first. Smellerbee and Longshot are nearby, and getting everyone else here would have been difficult, not to mention obvious."

"More obvious than walking up to this place in the middle of the day?" Toph wondered aloud.

Zuko sighed. "To be honest, I don't think subtlety is going to work at this point."

Jet looked out the window and rested his hands on his shoulders. "They'll be here shortly."

Aang watched Jet take a seat across from him. "So, why are you in Ba Sing Se?"

"We were trying to make a fresh start. I guess things aren't turning out like we'd hoped."

Standing up, Jet led everyone out into the garden, where a pair of heads popped out of a brush, one shaggy-haired with painted lines on her face, the other adorned with hat.

"Hey," the…girl said. The tall kid merely nodded.

"Yo," Toph said, waving at the duo.

Returning to the common area of the house, everyone sat around the table for a quick war meeting.

"So, do you have a plan?" Katara asked.

"I'm still working on some things," Jet replied. "Security's pretty tight at the walls between the rings. Agh! This is going to take days!"

"What about Appa?" Smellerbee asked.

Aang looked over to his animal companion. "Appa and I can get us to the Lower Ring. Though, it might tire him out with so many people."

Jet stood up and bowed his head. "Thanks."

[-]

Arriving at a small square Jet pointed out, the passengers disembarked. Smellerbee and Longshot immediately set off with nary a word to anyone else.

"Where are Smellerbee and Longshot going?" Sokka asked, watching the duo slink off.

"Doing some reconnaissance," Jet answered.

"I guess we might as well relax for the time being."

Filing into the nearby tea shop, they claimed a table for themselves, which was thankfully sparsely populated.

"You're a rather motley group," the shop owner, Pao, if the sign was correct, commented from the back. "I'll send someone over."

A waiter came by and took their order, leaving the odd group to chat amongst themselves.

While waiting for their tea to arrive, Zuko stood up to stretch his legs, colliding with a girl who was walking behind him. Her brown hair was worn in a pair of braids that sat on her shoulders, and she wore simple green clothes like everyone else in the district.

"Sorry about that," she sputtered

"No, that was my fault," Zuko reassured her, offering her a hand.

Dusting herself off, she look up with hazel eyes, eerily familiar.

 _Where have I seen her before?_ He wondered.

"Well…have a nice day!" With that, the girl happily walked on.

Sokka looked at Zuko, then at the girl leaving the shop. "Um, Lee?"

"Mm?"

"You looked lost there for a second."

"Yeah."

"Do you know her?"

Pondering a second, Zuko wracked his brain for where he might have known her from

"I don't know," he finally said.

At that moment, the waiter arrived with the drinks. Shortly after he had disappeared, Iroh made his displeasure at the quality known.

"Blech! This is just hot leaf juice."

Rolling his eyes, Zuko sat back down. "What are you going to do, uncle?" he asked "Take over the Ba Sing Se tea industry and institute change from within?"

"Now that's a thought. A bit ambitious. Maybe I can start by opening my own tea shop. Hmm…what should I call it?"

Toph leaned back. "Whenever that happens, I'll go to grand opening." Suddenly, her eyes widened. "They're back," she announced

Gathering outside, the recon team waited for them in the alley. Jet approached the two of them.

"Longshot?"

The marksman shook his head.

"Already?"

"What's wrong?" Aang asked

"We set up a signal in case our house was no longer safe. It looks like the others set it off and ran."

"Where does that leave us?" Zuko asked.

"I'm going, even if you decide not to."

Jet weathered a furious glare from Katara, prompting Zuko to intervene, much to his own surprise.

"Right. Instead of attempting to kill each other, how about we move up our meeting with the Earth King?"

"That…is a terrible idea," Katara said, grimacing.

"What about the you-know-whos?" Sokka reminded everyone. "The mean robe guys?"

"You can say their names," Toph pointed "It's not like they wouldn't know what's happening. Not with all the people crashing here."

Everyone glanced at each other for a minute before Katara sighed. "Fine. But if we're doing this, we need to do this right."

"Storming the front gates of the enemy fortress," Zuko grumbled. "Is there a right way to do that?"

"Who cares?" Toph laughed. "I was getting sick of all this sitting around. I'd prefer if we were leaving, but clearly I'm talking to the wrong crowd for that."

Sokka looked off into the distance, pensive. "The longer we wait, the more time they'll have to prepare."

Zuko crossed his arms and leaned on the wall. "So, we're agreed?"

"This doesn't feel right," Suki stated.

Toph patted the girl's shoulder. "You can stay here, if you want."

After a moment's hesitation, the Kyoshi warrior looked up. "No. If this is what is happening to my nation, I can't just let this go."

The Sky Bison rested on the ground for the embarking passengers. Climbing onto Appa, Toph leaned towards Zuko.

"I think we're walking into a trap~" she sang softly.

"Most likely," Zuko agreed.

"And we're going to spring it anyway?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"That's stupid."

"I'm won't deny that."

Once everyone was settled in, Aang shook the reins.

"Yipyip, buddy!"

"So, do we have a plan?" Suki asked.

"Not really," Zuko answered.

"Oh."

"Set us down once you get in the Upper Ring," Jet advised, looking at his fellows. "We'll go ahead."

"What will that accomplish?"

"We can sneak around while you go through the front door. If we're lucky, we'll be able to find everyone and get out."

"How do you know that they'll be there?" Sokka asked.

"I don't. But that's our only lead right now. If nothing else, we can find someone or something that leads us to where they're being kept. In any case, we'll find a side entrance while you clear out the front."

"How are they going to know where we are?" Smellerbee asked.

"Let me handle that," Zuko answered.

Jet nodded. "Got it. See you on the other side."

Setting down, the trio of Freedom Fighters hopped off the saddle and disappeared into the night.

At daybreak, Appa rose up above the city skyline, headed straight for the palace. The guards hastily organized and readied their defenses. When the first boulder went up, zooming towards the flying bison, Zuko reached out and returned it to the guards.

The moment they hit the ground, they were beset by hordes of guards swarming towards them. For the bunch storming the gates, it was rather short work disabling the defenders.

Wave after wave of guards stormed out of the palace, and wave upon wave of the royal guards were laid low by the youngsters and Iroh as they came charging up the steps, or ramp, when Toph smoothed the approach to the palace. Katara winced when some of them bounced across the stone surface.

"Sorry," she shouted at some of them as they passed.

At the top, more guards rushed in from both sides to mob them. Toph and Aang shoved them all into heaps and out of the way, leaving the way clear for Zuko to breach the front door, which sailed off its hinges and taking out the guards waiting for them inside.

"This might actually get repetitive," Zuko sighed.

"I'm still voting we leave," Toph announced.

"Noted."

"Where's the throne room?" Katara asked.

"I'm not one hundred percent sure," Sokka answered, pointing to the ornate and opulent doors further down the hall, towering up to the ceiling, "but those look important."

The intruders approached cautiously, anticipating an ambush, when the doors swung open, the "original" Joo Dee waiting for them.

"Welcome, Avatar," she said genially. "The Earth King is waiting for you."

Stepping aside, Joo Dee ushered them inside. Long Feng stood at the king's side, who observed the proceedings with remarkable aplomb. Bosco regarded the intruders curiously, but remained at his friend's side. Above them, Dai Li agents waited to drop down to the floor.

"Called it," Toph whispered to Zuko.

Zuko exhaled slowly. "Yes, you did."

"You see, your majesty," Long Feng said. "The infiltrators have arrived."

"As you predicted," the Earth King admitted. "Though, for a band of anarchists, they- wait, weren't they at Bosco's party?"

"Uh huh," Aang chirped.

A voice cut the conversation short. "Enough!"

 _Azula,_ Zuko realized in time to see Mai and Ty Lee emerging from behind the pillars.

"Dangerous ladies," Sokka hissed.

"Well, well," Azula drawled, stepping into view. "Isn't this a surprise."

A brace of flechettes peppered their position, forcing them to split. Ty Lee homed in on Zuko and Suki. The Kyoshi Warrior pulled out her shield and pushed out, but did not pull back in time before Ty Lee rendered the arm useless, putting her to the ground in short order with successive jabs before she dashed towards Zuko.

Her strikes felt more like dull thuds than the debilitating hits they should have been. Ty Lee recoiled, yelping in pain as she nearly jammed her fingers on unyielding skin. Zuko looked at her, eyebrow raised, when Azula held the Earth King in an arm lock, their faces lit blue by the light of fire hovering in front of their faces.

"This fight is over," she declared, as more agents moved in to secure the throne room.

Zuko snarled, but forced his anger down. Ty Lee disabled the rest of the intruders, but left Zuko to the Dai Li agents. Long Feng stepped aside as his "liege" was dragged away. Bosco was kept in the throne room, giving a mournful growl as the king was taken from view.

Azula looked down on the airbender as he was dragged out in front. Aang stared back impassively as she stepped down from the dais.

"It looks like I get to steal your prize after all, Zuko," she jeered. "Really, I would have expected more from you." She looked past Zuko to her waiting minions. "Take them to the dungeons. Separately. If any of them give you trouble, you are free to execute them."

Blindfolded and led away, Zuko began to guess who was moving with him. Sokka's boots made a distinct sound against the stonework, then the metal floors. Toph's bare feet also padded along with them.

Before long, they were stopped and the sound of shifting metal echoed around them.

"Move it," one of their captors said, giving Toph a shove.

Toph slammed her door back open before they could finish pinning her inside, catching her left guard and throwing him off balance, and shoved the other guard to the wall and bound his hands to the metal walls.

At the same time, Zuko twisted out of his captors' grips and punched the man in the chest. The thin layer of stone armor dispersed the energy evenly, but failed to keep the agent in place, slamming him literally into the wall.

Seeing his partner knocked out, the other man reached for Zuko, intent on caving the lad's head, when his armor began to heat up.

"Interesting," Zuko mused. "I thought I hit some earth."

Giving the man a shove, Zuko sent him crashing into his colleagues, who proceeded to edge away as the walls, floor, and ceiling melted around them, backing straight into Toph, who left them all pinned to the walls with strips of metal torn from the walls.

Foes sufficiently cowed and subdued, Sokka retrieved his weapons from the disabled Dai Li agents. "It pisses me off that after all that talk about protecting this place, Long Feng just up and betrayed us all to the Fire Nation."

"Either he's that greedy or he genuinely thinks that this is for the good his nation," Zuko reasoned.

Toph popped the joints in her fingers. "Pfft. Whatever. What's our next plan, Princess?"

"Toph, Sokka, go find Katara, Suki and my uncle. I'll go find Aang."

 **A/N: At last, this chapter is finished, and the next one is on its coattails. The two were originally part of a larger chapter, and once I realized that I had around 4,000 words jotted down, I split them up.**

 **If things seem rushed, it's probably because they are. I had no idea how to slow this down much, and originally, this was going to be a single chapter of random snapshots and clips as we rode the runaway train into the next station. Thankfully, I got some ideas on how to make it a more steady and coherent mess than it was before.**

 **Continuity concerns? Grammar/spelling errors? Fire off a PM at me. I promise I won't bite your head off.**


	31. Loose Ends

Dim torches lit the halls tracing beneath Ba Sing Se, catacombs and smuggler routes that had been scoured and cleaned, reconstructed, now guarded closely by the Dai Li. Still, they were far from omniscient or omnipresent, gaps pervading the entire network, which was sufficient for the trio stalking through dark.

As another rumbling rolled through the ground above their heads, Jet stopped briefly, listing to the thundering echoing from the surface.

"Sounds like Aang and the others have gotten busy."

A pair of stone hands flew out and snagged Longshot, silently dragging him into the shadows. Similarly, a pair of arms reached out for Smellerbee.

"Jet, run!" she shouted. "It's a trap!"

Yanked away from Jet's side, Smellerbee was smacked across the back of the head, causing her to slump in the man's arms as she and Longshot were carried off.

Weapons in hand, the Freedom Fighter prepared to go after them, breaking

Against every urge to help his friends, Jet listened heeded his friend's words and bolted, enemies hot on his trail. Instincts honed by an abundance of running from angry Fire Nation soldiers over the years made navigating the many windowless twists and turns of the palace a breeze.

 _But where are the others?_ he wondered. _They should have been able to draw the enemy's attention enough for them to find the dungeons without running into trouble._

Evading voices and following lights, he eventually found himself in the main hall, the doors to the throne room ajar. It was hard to see what was going on, especially with so many guards. Two figures inside were at a standoff. When one, a woman, sat on the throne, he heard a familiar voice echo through the halls.

"Well?" she inquired, a threat thinly hidden behind the question.

 _It couldn't be…_

A stone hand shoved at Jet's back.

"Move forward, boy," a gruff voice ordered, hissing over Jet's shoulder.

With no choice in the matter, his weapons removed and his hands bound, he was marched into the throne room. The ranks of agents parted, revealing Long Feng prostrating himself before-

"Li?"

"You've beaten me at my own game," Long Feng lamented, seemingly unaware of the newcomer.

"Don't flatter yourself;" Li retorted. "You were never a player."

A flash of blue light, and the former head of Dai Li dropped like a stone, robes smoldering from the burst of heat.

"That's one less loose end." Looking up from Long Feng, she locked eyes with Jet. "And another steps into line. Hello, Jet."

"Li…?" Jet murmured, the budding of realization beginning to form. "What are you doing?"

A devious smirk spread across the girl's face. "I have no reason to explain myself to the likes of you. Now, unless you intend to declare your allegiance to the Fire Nation-"

"Never!" Jet snarled, no hesitation in his answer.

Calling upon strength born of fury, the Freedom Fighter broke his bonds. Rather than re-restrain him, the Dai Li corralled the boy to the open space in front of the princess.

The agents began flanking him, ready to strike. Jet ground his teeth together, another snarl building in his throat. Azula continued to stare down on him imperiously.

"You were a useful pawn," she admitted.

"How much of this was a lie?" Jet demanded.

"Everything from the beginning."

Quick as lightning, the princess thrust her fingers in Jet's direction, sending a fire blast at the young man. The throne room thundered and smoke poured from the center of the impact, but as it dissipated, the discombobulated agents and Azula searched for Jet to no avail.

"Where did he go?" one of the agents growled.

Azula observed, pensive. "Hm. I can't say I was expecting that. Find him."

[-]

A pair of eyes watched from the shadows as the contingent guarding Aang moved along. Silently, Zuko thanked the spirit-tracing powers for the expedient tracking job, but his target was still just out of reach.

 _Just a little longer…_

Zuko dropped from the ceiling, landing on top of Dai Li agent holding Aang, freeing the boy in the same motion. While Aang ducked down, joining Zuko in clearing the room of hostiles and liberating the Earth King.

Aang dusted himself off. "Thanks, Zuko!"

Resheathing his swords, Zuko drove his fists into the wall, creating an escape route.

"Go!" he barked, ushering the others through as he watched for more guards.

Aang made a short jump and drop through the opening, pulling the Earth King along. Zuko hesitated in following, the pattering of guards storming their position trickled into his ears.

"Come on!" Aang called out.

"Get the Earth King out of here. I'll hold them off."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm tired of running."

"Be careful," Aang implored, leaving with the Earth King in tow.

"I'm not leaving without Bosco!" the Earth King protested as he was dragged off.

As the others faded from his senses, Zuko caved the opening and began making his way through the halls where he currently sensed Azula, leading the responding agents on a merry chase, whittling them down along the way.

Arriving at his destination, he crashed through the doors and found rows of Dai Li blocking the way between him and his sister.

"Where do all of them keep coming from?" Zuko muttered. "You must breed like rabaroos."

"Where's the Avatar?" one of them demanded.

Zuko snorted. "Off to where you'll never suspect."

"Running away, is he?" Azula chuckled lightly. "No matter. After I've dealt with you, I'll recapture him. He can't have gotten far." Tutting lightly, she gestured to her new minions. "Have you met the Dai Li?" she continued in a tone akin to a child showing off new toys.

"Regrettably," Zuko grumbled.

"Don't be so rude, Zuzu. They may be earthbenders, but they have a killer instinct that's _so_ firebender. I just love it."

"Are you just going to keep talking?"

"You're being _so_ impatient," she chided, seeing Zuko's stance, she snorted dismissively. "What? Are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?"

Zuko paused, fists raised. "Do you want me to?"

"No thanks," Azula waved dismissively.

The agents stepped forward and ensnared Zuko's legs, pinning him in one place.

When they moved to secure him, he violently jerked his right foot up and stomped back down. The resulting explosion threw the agents back, though a few were still too close and joined Zuko in falling to the floor below them.

"What?!" Azula near-shrieked.

Zuko smirked, relishing in his sister's confusion, regardless of how short it lasted.

"Capture him. Alive, if possible." With that, Azula withdrew from view, leaving her brother to her pawns, who closed ranks behind her, taking combat stances.

"Well then. Come and get me."

The agents on his level incased him in a coffin of stone, but that lasted only briefly before it exploded outward, taking a few of them with it. The survivors reorganized and, thrusting flattened hands, sprayed a torrent of stone bullets into Zuko, slamming him into the wall behind. The remaining agents from upstairs joined their compatriots. Catching his breath, Zuko stepped away. No spray of blood, no smear of gore plastered on the surface behind him.

The Dai Li agents glanced at each other. "What?"

"You know," the target said, voice reverberated in the confined spaces. "I think that might leave some welts." Looking up, his eyes were like a pair of golden furnaces, black occluding the white of his eyes. Teeth bared into a feral grin, he growled lowly. "My turn."

Disappearing in a burst of static, Zuko slammed his feet into the nearest Dai Li agent, caving the man's ribcage. Landing, he grabbed an arm of the other two and twisted, then hurled them over his shoulders.

They could only scream for a second before they were entombed into the floor.

More agents poured in from the floor above, showering him with stonework. Swiftly, the shouts died out and Zuko emerged from the darkness.

"Now then. Where was I?"

A low rumble reverberated overhead. In the moment of distraction, the forming bits of mask flaked off his face, his eyes returning to normal. Zuko shook his head and checked himself for any injury.

 _This is fortuitous,_ he thought.

Taking off at a sprint, he made his way to the surface, weaving through the labyrinth of the old city. If it had been any other time, Zuko would have loved to admire the scenery, but being chased by the Dai Li made any attempt at sight-seeing hazardous to one's health.

Upon reaching the upper levels, denoted by a more active human presence – and more guards - he dove through the wall to reach the outside, landing in a labyrinth of hedged dotted with flowered trees. Regrettably, most of the garden had been torn up or singed in the struggle between the escapees and the renegade Dai Li.

Aang had already linked up with Toph and Sokka, having cleared out the immediate area already, leaving the garden devoid of any other active human presence, save for the Earth King. Bosco grunted, but was otherwise unperturbed at the direction things had gone.

"Is everyone all right?" Katara asked, running up alongside Suki.

"Fine," Zuko replied.

"Just dandy," Sokka panted.

"Where's my uncle?"

"He went to get Appa."

Toph's eyes widened. "Unless you want to fight some more, we should _probably_ start looking for a way out of here."

"Follow me," Suki said, taking off at a brusque pace.

With their party as it was, Suki had to slow down for the Earth King and his animal companion, allowing more hostile agents to catch up and converge on them.

"Where is my uncle?" Zuko wondered aloud, ducking under a stone aimed for his head. "For that matter, where is Appa?"

"I'm working on it!" Sokka called out, blowing into the bison whistle.

Any smart remarks about the whistle were hushed when another squad rushed burst into view, nearly running into a platoon of the Earth King's guards. Seeing their monarch and the cultural police, they decided to throw themselves at the renegades in defense of their king, only to be cut down. Zuko dropped behind corner and flanked the enemies for the time they were distracted.

Sokka's heart sank at the apparently endless stream of enemies continued. "We're not going to make it."

"Just hold on until Appa gets here," Katara urged. "Aang-?

Rising to his feet, Aang's eyes lit up, as did Zuko's, and a rush of wind spread out from their position. Turning to the stunned Dai Li agents, the two of them went before the rest, tossing man and material aside like toys, shredding enemy offensives before they could form. With a little trepidation, the others followed them, keeping the stragglers from coming up behind them.

The marathon of combat, however, proved to be too much when Aang slumped against the wall, gasping and clutching his chest.

"Can't…go on..."

Katara stopped when she saw the airbender stumble. "Aang?"

The monk was suspended in the air, light flaring off of him. The glow in his eye and tattoos became blinding, even if for only a moment, then the lights suddenly dimmed and the airbender went limp. Katara was at his side in an instant, catching him before he hit the ground and dragging him to the relative safety of an alley.

"Aang? Aang! Stay with me!"

Behind her, Zuko stood up straight, both eyes glowing evenly and steadily. If not for the present absence of light, she would not have noticed it.

"Zuko…?" Katara trailed off.

" **GO!"** Zuko shouted, voice echoing.

Without another thought, Katara and Sokka scooped up Aang and bolted after Suki and Toph. More Dai Li agents moved into the alley, peppering their hiding spot with a volley of stone, sustaining it for a solid ten seconds, then the air was quiet.

The earthbenders took defensive stances when a lone figure emerged from the dust that had been kicked up, which now caught the light of Zuko's eyes, casting a ghastly glow on the scene.

 **"Die."**

A blast of gale-force winds swept through the street, gathering dust and debris, violently hurling it all down range. The few that were lucky enough to avoid the initial barrage hid behind the nearest building, clinging to the walls as they trembled before the Avatar's fury.

Slowly advancing, Zuko struck down his foes as they dared to face him; wind, fire, and earth were utilized liberally. More kept coming, drawn to the beacon of power, and were swiftly cut down as he made his way back to the palace.

When he returned to view of the palace, the remaining guards began showering his position with statues and bits of masonry. Zuko blasted the missiles out of the sky and launched himself into the air with a bending-assisted leap.

Seeing their target take to the sky, the Dai Li launched another barrage of stone to shoot him down, tearing out pieces of the courtyard to accomplish the task. The rocks turned to dust before they could hit their intended target, to their momentary shock, but they continued their assault.

The Avatar frowned at his foes gathered below him.

" **Enough,"** he declared, idly swatting away a statue with the back of his hand. Dropping down, Zuko built up speed, reaching terminal velocity just before he hit the ground. The ground shook as the palace shattered under the impact, kicking dust and debris across the inner city.

END OF BOOK TWO

 **A/N: Yay! Another chapter finished. And with this, Book Two is done! While there are some points in canon that will be met by our gallant heroes, I think it is safe to say that we have gone off the rails.**

 **Any questions or comments on the story so far? Feel free to drop a review or a PM.**

 **I am going to** _ **purposefully**_ **put the story on pause while I finish writing the next few chapters.**

 **Book Three: Power will continue the story of** _ **Avatar: Finding Yourself.**_


	32. Book Three: While You Were Sleeping

**Book Three: Power**

Dust to Dust

Toph nearly fell to the ground when the shockwave rolled past them; nobody else was that lucky, bowled over by the force washing over them. When his normal steps were already loud and obnoxious, it did not come as a surprise that him suddenly stomping the ground in the Avatar State would be even louder.

Yet the exploding palace in the distance blew well past even her own expectations.

"What was that?" Sokka screeched, picking himself up from the ground. "Incoming!"

Debris rained all over the Upper Ring, some fragments large enough to crush the houses nearby. Thankfully, none landed on them. When the brief spate of stone rain subsided, Toph dropped the shield she had thrown up at the last minute.

"I am so glad we added you to the group!" Sokka proclaimed when he saw all the fragments she had warded off.

"My palace!" the Earth King cried.

Dusting herself off, Katara coughed. "Is that it?"

A secondary shockwave pulsed outward, splitting the cloud of dust.

Suki hopped up on the rooftop nearby. "It looks like it's coming this way."

Behind them, the ground cracked, Zuko standing aglow at the center. The light of his eyes dimmed shortly after, and Zuko slumped to the ground.

Sokka scratched his head as the Avatar was dragged next to other. "Um…What do we do?"

"Better do it fast," Toph warned. "We've got company."

Mai walked through the cloud of dust, knives in hand, clothes flecked in blood and a layer of dust. Clearing the haze, she drew her arm back, ready to throw.

[-]

Floating through the abyss. He could not remember for how long. Every extremity was numb and heavy.

" _Rise and shine, Zuko. Rise and shine."_

The voice was familiar, as was the name it called him. Gradually, everything seeped back into remembrance. His eyes sluggishly opened to the darkness pervading the world around him. Gravity began to reassert itself, giving the illusion of falling.

 _Blue._

" _Glad you didn't take too bad a hit, or we'd be having problems. You got wrecked pretty badly out there. Now stop slacking and get back to work. I can't have you dying on me yet"_

Still falling, tangles of darkness brushed the edge of his senses, branches and burs spreading around.

At that, a pulse of electricity ran through Zuko's body, violently jolting him awake. Shooting straight up from bed, he look around the room. Fire Nation flags were draped around the place, and the familiar sway of a ship brought back memories.

"What happened?" he groaned.

Taking in his surroundings, he saw Aang laid out in a bed nearby, hair considerably shaggier than it was before.

"Definitely not a dream." Looking for anything that could be used as a weapon, he checked outside the room for waiting enemies. _Where are the guards?_ He sniffed the air.

"Where are the others?" he whispered. Easing back into the room, he rested on the bed. "How long was I out?"

He did not want to leave Aang where the enemy could take him out, but something about the present situation was not quite right, and at present, he was safer where he was, and Zuko had no idea how fast Aang would wake up or if he would be able to move when he did.

Creeping out the room and along the walls, he found the armory, where an extremely large man and a remarkably small person were conversing quietly.

"You hear something?" the big man asked.

All of Zuko's muscles were atrophied and sore, making what was supposed to be a quiet withdrawal into a stumble.

"One of them's awake!"

 _Fantastic,_ Zuko thought as he ambled forward.

"Wait, stop!"

Turning, Zuko prepared to fight. He managed to work up a decently sized flame, but it quickly sputtered out. _NO!_ He tried to reignite, but shot out only some sparks. Swinging out in one last attempt to ward them off, a blast of wind flew from his hands.

The big man was barely phased and approached, hand reached out diplomatically. "Wait, we aren't going to hurt you."

Seeing the slipshod organization of their armor, Zuko realized that the duo in front of him were not from the Fire Nation, much less the military. He stood down and glared at them.

"Do you mind telling me who you are?" Zuko demanded.

"I'm Pipsqueak," the big man said. "And this is the Duke. We…well, we were Freedom Fighters."

Looking at the shorty, Zuko realized that he was probably the same age as Toph, maybe even younger.

"Jet's group?" he inquired, receiving a nod. "That's more than I had before, but that still tells me next to nothing. Why am I on a Fire Nation ship?"

"We'll take you to the others. They can explain everything."

"Zuko?"

Whipping around, Zuko saw Aang hobbling around, leaning on his staff.

"Aang!"

Moving with speed the belied his size, Pipsqueak caught the airbender as he began to fall, shoving Zuko aside.

"What happened, Zuko? Why are we on a Fire Nation ship?"

"Aang, do you know Pipsqueak?"

The boy blinked a few times and looked at the giant who had caught him. Then the dawning realization hit.

"Pipsqueak! Duke!" Aang glomped Pipsqueak, which Zuko assumed was either named prematurely or ironically.

"It's _THE_ Duke," the kid behind them protested.

"Come on," Pipsqueak said, scooping Aang up under his arm. "Everyone else is going to want to hear about this."

It was a semblance of familiarity as they moved along, though this ship was far more recently built than the relic he had commanded during his search for the Avatar and was significantly larger.

Reaching above decks, they were treated to an overcast sky, hinting at a possible storm, but promising nothing. Others were present on the deck, making it appear that it was still manned by the Fire Nation, as several men were dressed in Fire Nation armor.

"That's definitely you, Sparks," Toph said, immediately running for him. Katara quickly followed suit, giving Aang a quick hug.

"You two are finally awake!" Katara cheered.

"'Finally'?" Zuko coughed as a guard approached.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," a guard said, walking up to them.

Zuko frowned at the guard. "Sokka, ditch the helmet."

"You're no fun," the younger boy grumbled, but complied. The extra amount of hair growth gave credence to what Katara had said.

Giving an amused snort, Zuko watched another figure - almost an older version of Sokka, even with the armor and a goatee – walk up to them.

"Everything okay?" the man asked.

"Yeah," Sokka replied. "Zuko, Aang, this is mine and Katara's dad."

The Chieftain reached out a hand. "It's an honor to meet you."

"Likewise," Zuko answered, giving a short bow.

Aang reached out and shook the man's hand. "Nice to officially meet you, too."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Great, great, so now you guys have finally met."

 _Touchy,_ Zuko thought, just as Uncle Iroh strode up and pulled him into crushing embrace.

No words were spoken, but Zuko understood enough.

"I'm sorry I worried you."

[-]

A circle formed around the roused duo, awaiting questions.

"So what happened?" Zuko asked eventually.

Sokka hunched over a little, getting closer to eye-level with the others. "What do you remember?"

"Assaulting the Earth King's palace, getting captured, breaking out, going after my sister, trying to escape Ba Sing Se…I think I blanked out after that."

"You went into the Avatar State. Aang, too, but he didn't last as long. You told us to get out and disappeared. Next we knew, the Earth King's palace exploded and you pretty much fell on top of us."

"What happened to him?" Aang asked.

"He and Bosco are abroad. I think the Coup shook him up, so he's on something of a self-discovery trip. He might be a little upset at you for destroying the palace."

Zuko grimaced. "Wonderful. What happened next?"

"Suki pointed us to where she heard some Water Tribe forces were patrolling. We found my dad and the other warriors, then we captured a Fire Nation ship and we've been on the move ever since, while the Fire Nation moved into Chameleon Bay."

Zuko tapped his chin. "How long were we out?"

"About three weeks."

"Three weeks!?" Aang exclaimed.

"Anyhow, the Fire Nation moved into the city, so we had to make a run of it. Thanks to Iroh, we've been able to avoid running into conflict with any of the patrols so far. When we had to stop for supplies and pick up the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors, we ran into Pipsqueak and the Duke."

"Did anything else happen?"

"Oh yeah!" Katara piped. "One of Azula's friends helped us get you out of Ba Sing Se, but we weren't sure what to do with her. She wouldn't leave us, and Sokka didn't want her roaming around, so we put her in a cell."

Zuko sat up straight. "I want to see her. I think I can guess who it is."

Leading the way, Sokka marched down to the brig, where the only cell occupied was the second on the right.

Mai was laid back on the meager sleeping pad that was in the cell. Despite the Spartan quarters, she did not seem particularly put off by her surroundings. When she saw Zuko, she rolled to her feet.

"Hey, Zuko," she said, her vocal control slipping ever so slightly. "When did you become the Avatar?"

He scratched the back of his head. "Um…It's a long story."

"I think we have some time. And I think you owe me an explanation."

"Can I get a chair?" Zuko asked Sokka. Once he was settled, the two of them entered a staring contest.

Mai lost patience first. "I'm waiting."

"Where do you want me to start?" Zuko asked.

"The beginning."

Leaning back, Zuko began relaying the story, every detail he could remember the time he left the Fire Nation capitol to the present.

"So it was all boring until this past winter, huh?" she said finally.

"More or less." Frowning, Zuko stared the girl down. "Back in Ba Sing Se, why did you help us?"

"Don't you remember?" she drawled.

"You're going to have to be a little more specific than that."

"Why did you spare me? Back in the drill, you could have easily finished me off. Why didn't you?"

"You were already disarmed. Killing you wouldn't have achieved anything else."

"Strange to hear from someone responsible for mass slaughter and destruction."

Zuko sat up a little straighter. "I wasn't in control at the North Pole. Aang was leading that charge, or the ocean spirit, if that helps any."

"You'll find that most won't care about that distinction. When I heard the numbers-"

"I'm very much aware of the damage and the casualties endured at the North Pole;" Zuko spat. "I was there. Again, I wasn't even aware I was the next Avatar until a while after the battle."

"Hm."

"Which brings up my next question: why did you help us?"

Mai rolled back onto her bedding with sigh. "I wanted some answers."

"So the only reason you helps us was because you were curious?"

"Not entirely. Boredom played a part in my decision."

"Does Azula know about this? As I understand, she has a rather unhealthy stance as far as traitors are concerned."

"You're right, and if she doesn't know, she likely suspects something since I haven't returned to her side. Oddly enough, being here is probably the safest place right now."

"And the risks to your family? Your life?"

"Not any worse than failing her. I was supposed to kill or capture you, but that struck me as hazardous to my health, considering what you had already done and what the Dai Li failed to accomplish."

"I see. Are you going to be an enemy or an ally?"

"What's to stop me from lying to you and stabbing you in the back later?"

Zuko shrugged. "I have my ways."

The girl scoffed. "You've changed during your trip."

"What can I say? I've been under a bit of stress since I've been away." Standing, Zuko made to leave. "We can talk more later."

Climbing their way back to top deck, Sokka sauntered up next to Zuko. "So…" he started tentatively. "Can we dump her overboard?"

"No."

"Come on. It's not like she's your girlfriend…is she?"

"If I said yes, would you start giving relationship advice?"

"Um…"

"Just let it go, Sokka. I'm just seeing she knows for now, and maybe scrounging up a few more allies along the way. She might have more information that isn't months or years old, or invalidated by recent events."

"I guess you have a point. You have a plan?"

"Not yet. Or rather, not a complete plan."

"Is anything stopping you?"

"Not entirely. More questions than anything, like how I can suddenly airbend?"

"You can airbend?" The sole airbending master walked into view on the main deck. Zuko thrust his palm at the Air Nomad's face and blew his hair around. "We're going to need to work on your technique," he deadpanned.

Katara frowned and gathered water from the spray that had landed on the deck, putting it all into a bucket. Bucket in hand, walked over to the two of them and set it on the deck. "Aang, try bending some water."

Getting into proper stance, he swayed with the rocking of the ship, pushing and pulling at the water. Not even a single ripple.

"Now you try, Zuko."

Reaching back to memory, he mimicked the moves Katara had taught him. While not as instinctive as airbending, the water stirred independently of the rocking of the ship, rolling along as if boiling. While maintaining the air of stoicism in appearance, Zuko was rejoicing inside.

"It seems like you've gotten the rest of the Avatar spirit, Zuko."

"It appears so. I guess something good came from this whole debacle."

Katara kneeled alongside the airbender. "How are you feeling, Aang?"

"I feel lighter, but kind of empty."

The waterbender pulled the boy up. "Come on, I need to work on you some more."

As Aang and Katara retreated below decks, Zuko walked over to the bow of the ship. The brief wave of nostalgia hit. A steady breeze blew in his face, the smell of salt he was all too familiar with. The course set however…

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Zuko angled his head slightly to his right shoulder. The voice was familiar enough. "Since you were looking off the bow so intently, that is."

"Uncle. You're looking better. And you managed to find clothes that fit you on the ship?"

"We made a stop a week ago. Made the rest of it myself." Sighing, Iroh joined Zuko in looking out to the expanse of water stretching out in front of them. "It was not that long ago you sat out here waiting to find the Avatar-"

"If this is going to turn into a pun…" Zuko let out a dry chuckle. "I suppose it would have been funny, wouldn't it?" The young Avatar sobered, looking back out over the horizon, both anticipating and dreading what it would bring. "We're finally going back home."

 **A/N: Another chapter, another arc, another book, another season.** _ **Avatar: Finding Yourself**_ **is back on air, with 104 reviews, 181 followers and 121 favorites. As it stands with my current notes, this is liable to be as short as Book One, maybe even shorter. The content of several pre-Day of Black Sun (abbreviated as DoBS) episodes will be either condensed, cut down, or flat out eliminated, and most of what happens afterward will be, regrettably, thrown out, simply because the preceding events never happened.**

 **And since the topic has been directly broached by several interested parties, I will clarify some things right now: revelations will come in due time, and any pairings that may occur, whichever they are, will happen independent of input from the readership. On the same token, said pairings may be subject to change. When the results come in, please refrain from griping and complaining because I did not choose your favorite pairing for this story.**

 **At any rate, enjoy this chapter and I should have the next up in about a week.**


	33. The Next Step

The way out of Earth Kingdom waters held several more surprise encounters with Fire Nation ships, one of which actually boarded them briefly, but no further altercation was had before they were well out of the way of any other patrols. For once, Zuko could actually appreciate his uncle's friendly nature, and more importantly, the wealth of information it brought along the way.

Still, that made for many boring days, sitting around, even with the preparations to consider. Iroh was able to drill his nephew on firebending occasionally when they were out of sight of land and any passing vessels, and Zuko found himself hanging below decks near the engine room when he was not listening in on the plans for the coming invasion.

Others also found some comfort in the engine room on cool mornings.

"So we're going to have to take down you dad, huh, Sparks?" Toph asked.

Zuko took a deep breath. "Yeah. It looks like we will."

The earthbender hopped on top of a box. "Don't worry, I got your back. Just don't forget your promise."

"After this, meeting your dad again will be like eating a cake."

"The whole cake?"

Zuko shrugged. "Why not."

"Sounds like you'd get fat doing something like that." Rolling onto her back, she started playing around with a piece of scrap metal, mashing it into different shapes. "So what's up with Mai?"

"I'm still trying to figure her out myself. Right now it sounds like she was in for self-preservation and possibly a new lease on life."

"Ah, right. Cooped up noble children and all that."

"Most likely. She wasn't always this way, but I think being Azula's friend might have had something to do with that."

"You two have a history or something?"

"Me and Mai? More like it could have turned into something. I was banished when before either of us were old enough to think about that seriously."

"Kind of hard to imagine her as a blushing school girl."

"Yeah."

Sokka drifted in to the room, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with one hand and carrying several rolls of paper.

"How's Aang?"

Sokka mumbled out something, none the least bit intelligible, so Toph answered in his stead.

"Katara's still working on him. He's walking, but not much else, what I hear."

Humming slightly to himself, Zuko watched as the Water Tribe boy had plopped onto the floor and began scribble out on a sheet of paper he rolled out in front of himself.

Zuko frowned and stared back into the furnace. "I have to ask: how bad were our injuries?"

The younger boy stopped, as if snapping out of a stupor. "Hm? You were fine, just conked out. Aang...for a while, we thought he wouldn't make it. Katara had some water from the Spirit Oasis, and that seemed to put him right, but it's been rough seas."

"Moving away from that depressing line of thought," Toph interjected, "where are we at with the invasion?"

"With the Earth Kingdom captured, we've made a few adjustments to the original plan. It's still happening, just with a smaller force."

"How much smaller?" Zuko asked.

"We've already sent messages to some old friends and acquaintances of ours that we're waiting to hear back on. Pipsqueak and the Duke, the Kyoshi Warriors, along with my dad's contingent of warriors are who we've picked up so far."

"That sounds good. Right now, even with the Eclipse, the forces posted within the capitol alone can bury us in bodies."

"Which is one of the inherent beauties of the plan: it'll be harder for them to see us coming, and it'll be easier to slip past patrols with fewer people."

"That sounds fair. But at this point, they should be expecting us. Large or small, they'll have planned for an invasion."

"There's still one advantage we have: you."

"Not going to work. Azula already knows I can earthbend."

"You didn't…?"

"I did. And unless I miss my guess, she will eventually tell the Fire Lord, so any secrecy with that is already moot."

"Drat. That ruins a small part of the plan." Shrugging, Sokka soldiered on. "It's a good thing that that wasn't the only thing we're relying on."

"Don't forget that I'll still be affected by the eclipse."

"You still have earthbending," Toph added, "which, by all appearances, is your strongest ability. And if you can work up your water- and airbending, that's two more points in your favor. And that doesn't even mention your swordsmanship and sneaking."

"Learn two completely new elements?" Zuko inquired. "In the course of a month?

Toph shrugged. "Aang said you had to master the elements by summer's end, didn't he?"

"Roku said that, but still, mastering any element takes years unless you're a prodigy of some sort."

"Why not just use some Avatar State action?" Sokka asked. "Ba-da-ding, ba-da-boom: war over."

"Because I'd rather not wipe my home off the map," Zuko retorted, imagining the carnage he unwittingly wrought on Ba Sing Se. "Because if we want to end the war and actually have peace, we need a clear transition of power after Ozai is deposed, and destroying the capitol would be counter-productive."

"About that: who's supposed to take over after the Father Lord is gone?"

"Normally, I would be the one to succeed as Fire Lord. With me as the Avatar, while nothing is written about me not being allowed to as, ruling a nation might distort the balance of power, and my being Fire Nation would further skew the transition into peacetime."

"Does that mean your sister's going to succeed your dad?"

"As of now, yes."

"Is she better or worse than your dad?"

Zuko laid onto his back. "I wouldn't be surprised if she could supplant him if she wanted to."

"That doesn't mean much."

"I would venture to say that she's smarter, and just as cruel and manipulative, with a perfect control of her powers, which are still liable to grow before she's finished puberty."

"…Oh. When you put it that way, it sounds like she's a terrible person to put in power."

"Right. And even if we accomplish this, she is liable to be highly vindictive."

"No way of convincing her to behave or anything?"

Zuko shot a look that could only be interpreted as "are you stupid?"

"Right. Stupid question."

"What are you even drawing?"

"Schematics."

"Schematics for what?"

"Some of the machines that might make the invasion go smoother."

"Really?" Standing up, Zuko leaned over Sokka's shoulder. "Um…what am I looking at?"

"It's a work in progress!"

"Looks like there's quite a bit of progress yet. Again, what is it supposed to be?"

"Basically a boat, but it can go underwater without flooding and moves mostly by waterbending."

"Intriguing."

"A catch is that it has to periodically come up for air, but that's manageable enough. Another thing I've been drawing up is an answer to the tanks the Fire Nation's been using, only it uses earthbending."

Zuko sat back down, exhaling sharply. "Suppose all this works out as planned, the ships, the tanks, the Eclipse, and everything else, there's still going to be an army between us and him."

"Well, that's the beauty of it: we don't need to fight every last one soldier. We just need to make sure you can get to your dad and let you take care of the rest."

"And what about the rest of you? You'll risk everything in one go?"

"With Ba Sing Se taken, this may be the only offensive we'll be able to muster before the end of summer."

"Sozin's Comet," Zuko murmured.

Sokka snorted and looked up from his sketches. "Yeah. If I were an evil fire-thrower bent on world domination and knew there was a massive power boost, I'd wait until then to make a grand scale attack, sparing only the minimal forces needed to keep everyone occupied until then."

"You've put a lot of thought into this, haven't you?"

"I'm the idea guy and the complaining guy and I don't having any bending. It kind of comes with the territory. So, do you have a plan for the Fire Lord?"

"Nothing more than homing in on him and dealing with him directly during the Eclipse."

"I guess that's better than nothing."

"But will it be enough?"

"We won't find out until we try."

[-]

 _And now for another adventure in awkward,_ Zuko thought to himself.

Thinking back on Ba Sing Se, the Avatar had sought out one of the larger compartments of the ship that had been commandeered by the Kyoshi Warriors. Stopping to knock, he was only slightly surprised for the door to open before he got the chance. A pair of blue eyes stared back at him from under the mask of face paint. Behind her, many of the other warriors were staring at the door with intensity to set something on fire.

"Suki," he began, pointedly ignoring the thinly veiled hostility.

"Yes, Zuko," she answered tersely.

"Since there's now easy way of saying this, I'll cut straight to the point: after the war is over, when I have the opportunity, I'd like to revisit Kyoshi Island and apologize for my actions. If that's fine with all of you, that is."

The other Kyoshi Warriors looked at each other, processing his request, then back to the conversation in front of them. Suki cast a glance over her shoulder at her friends and back to Zuko.

"That would be appreciated, Zuko."

Bowing, Zuko made a quick exit from the mounting awkward atmosphere. Thankfully, Sokka swooped in and began chatting the girl up, which broke the tension somewhat before the Water Tribe boy loudly.

"You're not coming with us?"

"I'll be of better use helping the rest of the invasion prepare."

"Oh…"

His spirits picked up when she locked lips with him.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. For their part, the other Kyoshi Warriors sniggered at the open display of affection between the two, but refrained from commenting any further.

"See you for the invasion," Suki said, then scampered off.

"Alright…" Sokka answered, waving as she retreated.

[-]

Sitting in his temporary quarters, he went through hall of his equipment, enough to survive in the wilderness for extended periods, plus a couple of scrolls his uncle had jotted at some point in the past for some extra firebending exercises along the way. He made a mental note to look them over properly when time permitted.

"You're going off on your own?" Iroh asked, having silently entered the room.

"Not alone." Zuko looked out the window at the gathering of folk accompanying him to Fire Nation shores. "I still need to finish my training, or as much as can be done before the eclipse, and I'd rather not risk the invasion because I couldn't handle my own powers. And who knows? Maybe we'll lure some soldiers from the capitol."

"Perhaps."

Zuko sighed. "Look, I know you're worried, but-"

Iroh grabbed his nephew in a crushing bearhug, which Zuko reciprocated in short order, gently patting the old man on the back.

"I'll come back, uncle. I always do." There was nothing else that needed to be said that was not communicated through that hug. Pulling apart, Zuko descended to the main deck, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"Don't forget to see Piandao," Iroh hollered.

Look over his shoulder, Zuko nodded and continued on his way. Walking out onto deck with the beginnings of the dawn, Sokka met him halfway, packed and ready to go.

"Everyone ready?" Zuko asked.

"Ready as we can be," Sokka answered. "We have something like a plan and everyone else is going to be gathering the troops, but we've got everything we need to get us headed to the rendezvous point."

Zuko nodded. "Then let's get underway."

Mai fell in behind him, followed by Aang, Katara, and Toph, Sokka bringing up the rear. Appa knelt down, letting his passengers board. Once everyone had climbed aboard, Aang took the reins.

"Appa, yip-yip!"

The sky bison took to the skies once more, eager to leave the metal shore he had been confined to. The commandeered ship shrank into the distance behind them, turning to the north. The sun rising at their backs, Team Avatar set their sights for the Fire Nation shores.

 **A/N: Boom! Another chapter in the books! In case it isn't obvious, the team's composition is going to alter some of their course as they make for the rendezvous point, or at least change certain interactions.**

 **Furthermore, if all goes well, I should be able to keep this rate of production up (it helps that I know exactly what I'm after in this book) until the end of the book. Every chapter between here and DoBS is already underway, and both DoBS and the book finale are already mostly done as it stands.**


	34. Gentleman of Weapons

Throughout the flight, Katara kept close to Aang. He had not yet relapsed, but it was something she was very much watchful for, especially with him sitting alone atop Appa's head at high altitudes and then sweeping over the water surface. She eventually had Sokka and Zuko begin switching with him out while she maintained their cloud coverage. Then the first island poked into view.

Appa set down in the middle of the clearing, allowing the passengers to disembark and stretch their legs. Toph celebrated by plopping into the turf and making stone angels.

"Land!" she proclaimed.

"This place looks clear enough," Sokka said, tentative. "What do you think, Toph?"

Stopping her motions, the girl sort of zoned out as she felt her surroundings. "I'm not sensing anyone."

Zuko gave the air a testing sniff. "Me neither."

"That's good," Sokka sighed. "According the most recent maps, there shouldn't be anyone for miles. Enough space for you all to train and stuff. Plenty of water, too."

"Alright, everyone. Let's set up camp."

Dismounting, everyone went about their tasks. Mai was sitting off to the side, staring off into the distance. While Zuko tried, repeatedly to make an earthen tent, Sokka approached from behind.

"So, are we okay with her running around on her own?" he whispered. "We're in Fire Nation territory. It wouldn't be that hard for her to sneak off and tell someone where we are."

Halting his fumbling attempts at precise earthbending, Zuko let out a quick breath. "Two things against that: first, she can't move across long distances fast, and I can easily catch up to her. Second, even if she was of the mind to do so, she would have to see Azula again. Unless my sister changed overnight, she would likely end up killing her for betrayal."

"And we _know_ she changed sides?"

"As near as Toph and I can tell, yes."

The reliance on the spirit was eliciting mixed feelings. On one hand, it hadn't led him astray. Yet. At the same time, it wanted something from him, and he had not been able to piece together exactly what. One thing he could readily determine was that Blue preferred Zuko being alive and active, but beyond that, he could only guess.

Thankfully, Toph's own lie-detecting abilities came in handy, sparing him any doubt.

Sokka cautiously approached the Fire Nation girl, remembering the last couple of times he had run into her.

"Hey, um… Mai?" he asked. "Do you mind helping us here?"

"I thought I was still a prisoner," she retorted.

"You can still help," he spat out. "And since your hands are look pretty free to me, there's nothing really stopping you from pulling your own weight around here."

She glanced around and sighed. "Fine," she answered flatly.

[-]

Once camp was set up, Zuko climbed up to a rise, gazing out to the northwest."

"It's a few weeks travel by normal means from where we are, but with Appa, we could make it to the rendezvous within a week or so, even if we went out of their way to avoid being seen."

"Hmm…" Sokka contemplated a timeline he had sketched out, eyeing the birds suspiciously. "Sounds about right. So this is how we're going to be living until the invasion. Cave to cave to cave…" A cloud of gloom grew over his head as he droned on.

"This many people camping would be kind of obvious," Mai added. "And kind of hard to cover up."

At that, the cloud dispersed, and then Sokka sat up straight. "Hm… Aha! We don't need to become cave people. We just need to look like Fire Nation citizens!

"If we look like we belong, no one's going to pay any attention to us." Katara reasoned. "Sure beats cave-hopping all over the Fire Nation."

"Plus, real food," Toph commented from the corner.

"Trouble is, none of us are really wearing Fire Nation clothes."

"Not a problem," Sokka declared.

Sneaking up to a nearby village, they found lines laden with laundry hanging out to dry.

"I don't know," Aang said. "Stealing-"

"I call the silk robe!" Katara called out, hurdling her cover and sprinting for the clothesline.

"But it it's for our survival-"

Zuko jumped out from his own hiding spot and ran for the clothes line without a second thought, prompting Aang to do the same.

"Dressing like peasants again," Mai sighed. "Lovely."

"Position of complainer is already taken," Sokka snapped, joining in the clothing raid.

Taking their pick, the GAang retreated back into the wilderness, finding an isolated cave to use as a changing room. After they had all donned their new clothes, while Katara and Aang discussed the girl's necklace, Zuko rummaged through his pack, finding a replica of the Blue Spirit mask staring back.

Zuko extracted the costume piece from his pack. Unlike the swords, the mask held no properties beyond that of any other of its kind. It lacked the presence he had come to expect from it, which he chalked up to fact that he had only recently reacquired it.

"Where did you get the mask?" Sokka asked.

"Bought it at the last port," Zuko answered.

"Okay, but why?"

Zuko stared off into the distance, then back at the mask. "Nostalgia," he shrugged.

"Are you going to wear it right now?"

"No." Replacing the mask, he slug his bag over his shoulder.

"We should remember the name of the town," Aang advised. "So we can reimburse these people later."

"Why?" Toph asked. "That would be admitting we stole them in the first place."

"That's why we'll do it anonymously."

Zuko straightened out his clothes. "The disguises will work, but there's still the problem of names. I guess I could use Lee, again, but that still leaves all of you."

"Kuzon," Aang said, securing a headband around his head. "That was one of my friends' name before…you know. Anyway, how do I look? Normal Fire Nation kid?"

"Hm…we're going to have to be careful in public with you."

"Why is that?"

"That's a school uniform. Someone catches you alone in public, they might just haul you off to the nearest one. How about you, Sokka?"

"Wang Fire! And this is my sister, Sapphire Fire!"

Zuko glanced over to Mai, shrugging. "I guess that would work in a pinch. If nothing else, you can pass off as colonials."

 _Weird ones,_ he mentally added. A sole of a shoe came flying from the right, smacking Sokka in the face, leaving a red mark when it was peeled off.

"Ta-da!" Toph cheered. "A stylish shoe for the blind earthbender. Toph can work as long as I don't use my family name."

Mai shrugged. "Unless we start seeing wanted posters for me, I can use my name normally."

With that business out of the way, they made their way to the next town, getting some odds and ends to complete their outfits as well as some additional supplies before moving on once more to a canyon a ways away from civilization.

Getting everyone settle in, Zuko followed Aang into an open spot to practice.

"Okay, Aang. You're the airbending master. Where do we start?"

As they worked on the basics, Aang threw himself he seemed delighted to have a student, someone to begin passing knowledge onto.

The footwork was easy to grasp. The drills were geared to sweeping motions and dainty footsteps, the latter of which came surprisingly easy. Between his stealth practices and generally trying to avoid causing earthquakes while walking, it came quite naturally.

Of course, in haste, he began manipulating the air around him, pushing it into full gale. The sheer scale of the directed gust was astounding, sweeping up dust throughout the clearing and knocking over most anything that wasn't fixed to the ground.

"Your wind is still unfocused," Aang critiqued. Hopping back up, he demonstrated the motions again, putting less energy into the movements. "Air is the element of freedom, but it also involves restraint."

"Does this tie into your pacifism?"

"I guess, in a way."

Synchronizing with Aang's efforts again, Zuko kept his mind focused and pulled gently on the atmosphere as the airbender explained more.

Watching from afar, Toph was playing with some bits of rock and metal when Mai sat down next to her.

"So, why did you join us?" the earthbender asked.

"Zuko thought I'd be better off away from any 'sensitive information'. I was expecting a bore in either case, but at least I'm not confined to a musty cell. Or any cell."

"How do you figure? From what I can tell, your prison's kind of moving with you."

"It isn't much different from working with Azula, and it's actually an improvement from being cooped up with nothing to do. In both cases, I saw my chance at relative freedom and I took it."

"Hm?"

"For as long as I could remember. Sit still, sit quietly, and I would have nothing to worry about."

"You, too? Obscenely stifling parents, I mean."

"My father is an ambitious person, and that's putting things mildly. My mother goes along with it, because 'it's good for the family'. What about you? How did you get out?"

"Zuko wanted me to teach him earthbending. Didn't find out much else about him until later, after he nearly got himself killed. Again."

A peculiar expression flashed across Mai's face as she turned to Toph, who shrugged.

"There's a story to that, isn't there," Mai muttered.

"To be fair, I did kind of punt him into a stone wall."

Mai squinted at Toph, then at Zuko, who was still moving in circular patterns, wearing down the grass and dirt into a packed path.

"He's _very_ hard-headed," Toph added. "Anyway, after my dad refused, I kind of ran away."

"Wow."

"For me it was the constant treatment as a fragile, helpless doll. Zuko's actually the first real friend I ever made."

"You've known him for less than a year."

"And he's never treated me as anything less than an equal."

Mai looked back at the training duo, pensive. Then she sighed once more.

[-]

The next morning, Zuko and Aang got back to work, squeezing out every minute before they had to leave. Aboard Appa, Aang critiqued Zuko's efforts.

"Whenever you're bending air, it's less like airbending and more like firebending."

"Maybe it's because he's the Avatar?" Toph suggested. "I've seen him do lots of weird things since I met him."

"Like lavabending?"

"Yeah." "Well, lava is basically earth and fire, right? What happens if he starts mixing air and fire?"

Everyone looked towards Toph.

Sokka raised his eyebrow and broke the pause. "What?"

"Well, if water and dirt can make mud, Sweetness-"

"Who's Sweetness?"

"Katara. Anyway, if mud is made up with water and dirt, both of us should be able to move it."

"How would air and fire be combined?" Katara asked, pointedly ignoring the round of snickering when Zuko froze in place. "What?"

"Something my uncle taught me: firebending comes from the breath. In theory, I could amplify my firebending."

"I wonder if any of the previous Avatars tried some of this."

"Roku did some lavabending at the Fire Temple," Aang added.

Zuko tapped his chin. "So, earthbenders have metalbending, firebenders have lightning…

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Before you all decide to experiment with special bending forms, why don't we stick to the basics. For now, at least."

"We need to do something to pass the time," Toph said, pulling out something from her own pack. "He's already pretty good at earthbending, so it shouldn't be too much of a leap to think he could handle metalbending."

The scraps she had been toying around with had been fused into a single piece.

"Take it nice and easy."

Taking the hunk from her, Zuko rolled it in between his hands, giving it a slight heft. Trying to start small, he pinched a section of surface. Slowly, the metal mashed and crumpled, pulling towards his fingertips.

"We can do more later," he said, handing the metal back to Toph. "I'd rather not practice what I can do until we can we have some more space to work with."

Toph made a face and conceded. "You're right. Don't want anything else to blow up in your face, do we."

Sokka looked up from his schedule. "So, I've been thinking-

"Uh oh."

"-about getting some armor for Appa. Zuko, do you know where we might be able to find someplace to get the materials for that?"

"That depends," he answered, looking over the side. "Let's camp out here for the night and go into town in the morning."

Settled down for the night, they were treated with a meteor shower streaking the sky.

"Those look pretty," Katara said.

Mai sighed. "They're just a bunch of falling rocks. Nothing really special."

"I have no idea what you're even seeing," Toph grumbled.

One of the meteors guided closer towards them, slamming into the ground less than a mile away. Toph sat up straight.

"Okay, now that was pretty cool."

"Not for much longer," Sokka quipped as fires began spreading from the impact site. "The fire's going to destroy that town."

"Not if we can help it," Aang said.

The team sprang to action, Zuko and Toph were smothering the flames with mounds of dirt and digging trenches to halt the fire's spread. Katara was flying around on Appa carrying water from a nearby river with Aang.

Throughout the entire process of firefighting, Sokka and Mai looked on.

"Ever feel like you're like dead weight?" Sokka asked.

"Nope," Mai answered flatly, flipping a knife around in the hand that wasn't scratching Momo.

[-]

"Think Appa and Momo can handle themselves while we're gone?" Zuko asked.

Momo jumped into a nearby bush. Appa hid behind a tree, but was significantly less convincing in his camouflage.

Walking in town, everyone was already going about their business, none minding the group of young people walking up the main road, the GAang receiving nothing more than a passing glance, if that.

"These people have no idea how close they were to being toasted last night," Aang observed.

"It didn't even damage anything," Mai retorted.

"Either way, no one is minding us much."

"You'd think it'd be harder for a fugitive to move around," Sokka mused. "So… where are we going?"

Zuko pointed to the castle at the top of the hill.

Sokka's eyes widened. "Whoa. Fancy."

Walking up the path, they stopped in front of the massive double doors. Zuko reached out for the knocker, but pulled his hand back at the last second.

"What is it, Zuko?" Katara asked.

The Avatar exhaled sharply. "It's been ages since I've been here."

"And your uncle is _sure_ that we can trust him?" Sokka inquired.

"I can't imagine any other reason for him dropping his name after so long. Besides, he's half a fugitive himself."

Sokka did a double-take. "Wait, what?"

Grabbing the doorknocker, Zuko slammed it down three times and waited for an answer. Presently, the door opened and the slightly portly butler sized the children up. His eyes settled on Zuko for a moment, then he took a deep breath.

"Welcome," he said.

"Fat," Zuko greeted in turn. "Is Master Piandao in?"

"Of course. Follow me."

"His name is Fat?" Sokka whispered.

Led through the gardens/courtyard and into the house. The gang was sat in a rather pleasant sitting room, decorated in paintings. Zuko recalled which ones had been there when he had first been brought to the old master and which ones had been done since his training had ended.

Grey featured more prominently across his head, but still was dark, and his stance and posture was as sure as it been back in the day.

"Ah, Prince Zuko. It's been a long time since you darkened my door."

"Master Piandao," Zuko replied as he bowed, joined by the others. "And I doubt I can be called a prince anymore."

"Is that so? Who are your friends?"

"Just that."

"I see. So you're the new Avatar?"

The guests looked at each other.

"You don't seem awfully surprised," said Zuko. "Not even my own family noticed."

"At my age, you tend to pick up on those sorts of things. And people still talk; even though I'm not in the army anymore, rumors still find their way around, even if they try to hide them. So, what brings an enemy of the state to my home?"

"My uncle told me to see you."

"Hm… How is General Iroh doing these days?"

"Fine, but I can imagine you already knew that."

"I received a messenger hawk about three days ago."

Sokka looked back and forth between Zuko and Piandao. "Wait a minute: you're saying this guy is already on our side?"

"Apparently."

"How about tea?"

Libations were served, and the master and his former student caught up after introductions before the conversation inevitably turned to their present situation.

"So my uncle was already considering turning on the Fire Nation?" Zuko asked.

Piandao nodded. "In a manner of speaking, yes. This war is killing both sides. Even with Sozin's Comet coming, a Fire Nation victory could very well destroy us as much as the Earth King and Water Tribes. General Iroh was hoping for a solution to quietly resolve the war, but until the Avatar came back into the picture, nothing he came up with was really workable." The sword master sipped down the last of his tea. "I can house you for a couple of days. There's enough space to house a Sky Bison on the grounds without being seen."

Aang beamed and bowed. "Thank you."

"I do have another question: what happened your old swords, Zuko?"

"Lost in an assassination attempt," he answered. "I found these as a replacement."

Piandao hummed thoughtfully, but said no more on the matter.

[-]

The next morning, when Zuko hauled in the materials for the project of Appa, he saw Piandao observing as Sokka rearranged the gardens.

 _I'll have to ask how this happened later,_ he mentally noted, and carried on.

Throughout the day, Zuko watched as Piando ran Sokka through the same lessons he had once gone through, with the added benefit of time to appreciate the teachings he received. Sokka took to the instruction well, learning at a mind-boggling pace. What had taken the erstwhile prince a week to learn, the Water Tribe warrior had covered in roughly half a day.

Later that evening, he approached the others with a proposition.

"Guys, specifically one of the earthbenders, do you mind helping me get one of the meteors?"

"Better not bring Zuko," said Toph.

"Why not?" Katara asked.

"He'll probably break it if he touches it."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Thank you for your vote of confidence, _sifu_ ,"

Toph blew raspberries at her student. "Come on. Let's get your fancy rock."

Before too long, the meteorite was hauled to the estate and into the smithy, where it was processed for smelting. The next day, both Zuko and Sokka were laboring alongside each other on their respective projects.

In a couple of days, the blade, though black, gleamed in the sunlight all the same. Zuko smirked when the weapon was presented, gathering the finished armor pieces.

All too soon, farewells were being exchanged, and Sokka was presented a small bag before their departure. As when they had gotten the Sky Bison in, Appa flew them out after the sun had set below the horizon.

"What's in the bag, Sokka?" Aang asked.

Out from the bag popped a single White Lotus tile.

 **A/N: Like metalbending, there was no way I was going to skip out on Space Sword. Unfortunately, the sequence of events ruins the opportunity of the amazing fight between Sokka and Piandao.**

 **Also, from someone who has a basic understanding of metalwork and martial training, it boggles the mind how Sokka was able to learn a new sword style, manufacture a sword, and, however feebly, challenge a master swordsman in a few days.**

 **And, yeah, I basically mashed four episodes together.**

 **Finally, I forgot to mention it last chapter, but I updated my profile, which includes another project that is on the (very distant) horizon and a policy outline of sorts.**

 **Anywho, next up is the Puppetmaster. After that, it's on to the Day of Black Sun invasion. Let's hope things turn out better for our heroes this time.**


	35. A Stranger I Remain

The full moon illuminated the night as the group continued their journey across the Fire Nation. Zuko mostly found it annoying, as it clouded some of the detail he was accustomed to seeing.

It was mostly quiet, so much that when Toph stopped in her tracks, everyone prepared for an imminent ambush.

"What is it?" Zuko inquired.

"Do you hear that?" she asked, bringing the rest of the part to a halt.

"Hear what?" Katara asked.

"It sounds like people screaming."

"Screaming?"

Zuko knelt down, hand pressed to the ground and his eyes closed.

"Can you find them?" Katara asked.

He shook his head. "Not unless I've met them, or got pretty close. I'm still trying to work out Toph's seismic sensing."

"Wouldn't help anyway, Sparks," Toph said. "They just… stopped."

Sokka was fighting off some chills, which may have been partially caused by Mai pulling out a knife at waist-level.

"Okay, that was kind of creepy," he added, resheathing his sword.

"Let's keep moving, then," Zuko agreed.

Shaking himself from the discomfort, he led the group forward. "According to the map, there should be a village a short distance ahead. I say we should get close to it, get what we need, then move on."

[-]

The walk into town, everyone picked up on the undercurrent of tension hanging in the air. Talks of missing delivery boys, spirits snatching up people, and other things of the like.

"People disappearing in the woods, weird stuff happening during full moons. This just reeks of Spirit World shenanigans."

"And on the full moon."

"Maybe the Moon Spirit's turned mean."

"The Moon Spirit is a gentle, loving lady. She rules the sky with compassion and lunar goodness."

Mai stared at Sokka once he finished his tirade. "That… sounds remarkably defensive. Did you date the moon or something?"

The two stared at each other for an uncomfortably long moment.

Finally, she threw her hands up. "Forget I asked."

Navigating the markets, Zuko came up short when he saw who was shopping at the same stall as him.

"Hama?"

It took a moment for Zuko to realize that he was the one who had spoken.

 _Mental note: talk to past lives so they don't try talking for me._

That still left the old woman blinking owlishly at him.

"I'm sorry?" she asked.

"Your name is Hama," Zuko affirmed. It was hard to see underneath a weathered face, but it was still easy enough to see.

The woman squinted and stepped up, leaning and leering at Zuko.

"Do I know you?"

Zuko scratched his neck absently. "Uh…I think so?"

The others looked at him incredulously.

"What kind of answer is that?" Sokka voiced.

"This isn't the sort of conversation you have in the middle of the street," the old woman said. "Why don't you come for dinner?"

Sokka pulled the Avatar and hissed in his ear. "What are you doing Zuko? I thought we were supposed to be keeping a low profile?"

"I couldn't stop myself."

"Maybe it's one of the previous Avatars?" Aang suggested. Meeting the incredulous stares, he shrugged. "It happened to me, too. Remember at the Southern Air Temple?"

Following the old woman along the road, they stopped at an inn and were ushered inside.

The inn itself looked in good condition. A bit empty and could stand to be freshened up some, but there was nothing out of the ordinary, though Sokka kept shooting suspicious glances at each and every corner. Not that Zuko really blamed him. There was something unsettling in the atmosphere, seeped into the woodwork surrounding them.

"So, young man: mind telling me what that was all about?"

"Our friend seemed to recognize you."

"Something like that."

Katara put the pieces together first. "You're from the Southern Water Tribe!"

"Yup," Hama nodded. "Just like you. Had to say, I thought I saw Kanna again. Thought all those years were finally taking a toll on the brain."

The sudden swishing of water in the tub did not go unnoticed.

"You're a waterbender?" Katara and Mai said simultaneously, the latter with far less enthusiasm.

"Yes, though I'm curious as to why a fugitive Fire Nation royal would recognize me."

Zuko sighed, then took a deep breath. "This might seem rather sudden, but what do you remember of Kinna?"

Hama froze. Briefly. "How do you know her? She died long before you would have been born."

"Because she was one of the past Avatars. One of my past lives, I guess."

The old woman's eyes widened. "The Avatar? I was of the mind that the next Avatar was an airbender."

"Well…" Aang said.

"He was," Katara interrupted.

"But after he was frozen," Zuko continued. "The Avatar moved on, the immediate successor being Kinna of the Southern Water Tribe."

Hama just stared blankly at the wall in front of her for a minute. "Kinna was the Avatar?" she mumbled to herself, not quite digesting the words right away. "She was a vibrant woman. Always looking to make friends. She's how I was introduced to your grandmother." She sat silent for a moment, reminiscing on times gone by. "This is no way to treat guest, I haven't even offered anything to eat."

Most of the day was spent during the return to the market, fetching items for some dinner plans Hama had in mind. Everyone had a hand in preparing, even peripherally.

Table set, everyone sat down to an approximation of a traditional Water Tribe meal.

"I'd steer clear of the sea prunes," Aang quietly warned Toph. Likewise, Mai avoided the dish, if only on the principles of smell and appearance. Zuko heard as well, but leaving the food on the table seemed like bad manners, so he began to dig in.

Thoughtfully chewing on the kumquats, Zuko hummed. "This isn't all that bad."

During the rest of dinner, they talked about the Southern Water Tribe, the raids that took the waterbender, and her eventual capture. Most of it, Zuko and Aang already were familiar with, but the different perspective, that of someone who had personally experienced the events, was wholly different, especially towards the end.

By then, the hour was late and everyone went to their rooms. Katara was still wired from the day's events.

"I've never met another waterbender from home. And she's offered to teach me."

"I don't know," Sokka said. "Something seems off about her."

"Why do you have to be so paranoid all the time?"

"I like living. And then there's the fact that she stayed in the Fire Nation. Staying with the same sort of people who took her from her home…not that there's anything inherently and strictly wrong with being from the Fire Nation." Zuko shrugged, but said nothing else. "And don't forget the creepy puppets. Besides, we don't have time to waste."

Katara huffed. "Sokka, this my chance to learn from one of our own people. A piece of our culture restored, by one of our own we though were gone forever."

"I'll go with her," Zuko interceded. "I'm still needing some waterbending lessons. And if we left this exact moment, we would still arrive days before the invasion. We can spare a day now and come back after the war."

Katara positively beamed at the prospect.

[-]

The next morning saw Hama leading her two students out into the woods, splitting time between lecture and prattling on about the past.

"Growing up in the South Pole, waterbenders are totally at home surrounded by snow and ice and seas. But as you probably noticed on your travels, this isn't the case wherever you go. You have to learn to control water wherever it exists."

Presently, they came to a lovely valley, shaded red by flowers.

"Fire lilies," Zuko murmured.

"Wow, these flowers are beautiful," said Katara.

"They only bloom a weeks during the year. One of the things I like about living here. And like all plants, all things, they're filled with water.

Zuko thought back through his journeys. "I once met a man who could bend plants through the water."

"An ingenious technique," Hama laughed. "But did you know you can pull water from the air?" Swishing her hand over her head, she pulled the ambient moisture to collect on her fingertips, holding them in front of her wizened face. "You have to keep an open mind." The water cooled to ice, forming talons on the woman's fingers, which she shot into a nearby stump.

"Impressive," Zuko admitted.

"And you can take it a step further."

Sweeping her arm around once again, Hama siphoned the water from the fire lilies and slashed apart a nearby boulder.

"That's incredible!" Katara piped, though she saddened slightly at the browned patch they were now standing in. "It's a shame about the lilies, though."

"They're just flowers," Hama waved dismissively.

They continued on through the day, practicing here and there, but nothing too strenuous, even as night fell, then she led them back into the forest. The air grew heavy, something Zuko had a hard time ignoring, even under the effects of the moon. But Hama never stopped talking.

"Can you feel the power the full moon brings?" Hama said, looking at Zuko. "I never really thought about how it might affect the Avatar, but it's as clear as day."

Zuko stared back pensively, saying nothing as the old woman stopped, looking up into the night sky, clear and bright.

"I've never felt more alive as I do under its glow." Turning to her pupils, an unsettling grin set on her face. "What I'm about to show you is a waterbender's ultimate technique, only possible during a full moon. Once you've perfected it, you can control anything, anyone."

"Bloodbending."

That one word alone was enough to send a chill down Zuko's spine. The relish with which she spoke it had the Avatar bracing for an attack. Zuko glanced at Katara, who had grown apprehensive.

"I don't know," she said. "Reaching inside someone…"

"We're at war, Katara," Hama snapped. "We must use whatever means we have at our disposal if you're to have a hope at defeating the Fire Nation, for avenging our people."

Katara clenched her hands into fists, eyeing their teacher suspiciously.

"And would this have anything to do with the disappearances?" Zuko asked, voicing what Katara was thinking.

The younger waterbender took a step back. "It's you. The one making people disappear on the full moon."

Hama snorted and reached out. The two of them were paralyzed, an invisible hand gripping them from the inside.

"They threw me in a prison to rot, along with my brothers and sisters. They deserve the same." She turned to Zuko, venomously glaring at the former prince. "And it appears there's less of Kinna in you than I thought."

Katara pulled against the invisible force manipulating her. "I won't let you terrorize-"

"You haven't the power to deny me anything, least of all my revenge."

Brining her other hand to bear, she introduced more intricate motions, twisting them to face each other. Every vein, nerve, and bone groaned in protest of the seizure as the two of them struggled against the old woman.

"You should have learned this skill before you tried to turn on me," she sneered.

Forced to draw his swords, Zuko leveled them at Katara.

"At least I get to kill the Fire Lord's son. Unless you would do the honors, Katara?"

"No!" Katara cried out, almost unheard as Zuko screamed into the night

Wrenching himself out of the bloodbender's grip, he returned his sword to the scabbard and kicked up a spattering of boulders and launched them at the old woman. The momentary shock broke Hama's concentration on Katara, allowing her to follow suit and attack, rebuffing the attempt to bring her back under control.

Their victory was short-lived.

In a blur, Hama was standing in front of them, burying her fist into Zuko's stomach, forcing the wind out of his lungs and sending him flying _through_ a tree. Looking up, Zuko saw Katara barely sidestep a blast of water that instantly shredded the bark off of the tree behind her.

Not content to watch, Zuko moved to rejoin the fray, ducking under Hama's backhanded attacks and diving behind trees as frozen missiles spritzed the air.

Whatever ground Katara had lost in the surprise was quickly regained and the battle tilted towards their favor, but Hama turned the tables over once more, wrenching water from a nearby tree, turning it into an emaciated husk in a blink, sending it in a torrent that Katara met in force, the tide bursting between them.

Smiling, Hama redirected the water, swirling it around Katara and freezing it.

Her imprisonment was temporary, as Zuko jumped forward, blasting fire at Hama while driving his foot into the ice formation, shattering it. Surrounded by the fragments of ice, Katara sent them towards Hama.

With an amused smirk, she batted it aside, melting it and sending a batch of ice javelins at the two young people.

A wall of earth intercepted the salvo and was blasted apart, fragments raining down on Hama.

Zuko dug his hand into the ground, turning it into lava, when Hama dove in again, slashing at his arms, but only shredding the sleeves. Instead of a surge of lava, he only got a handful of molten rock, lobbed into the distance, landing nowhere near the bloodbender.

Hama kept the pressure up; bending her own blood, she struck rapidly and repeatedly, never leaving an opening for the youngsters to mount up an effective counterattack.

[-]

Sokka and Aang emerged from the cave in time to see as an explosion ripped through the forest below.

"Um…maybe we should stay back?"

"But what about Katara?"

"I'm just thinking that every fight Zuko gets involved from now on is going to have a minimum safe distance."

The ground shook again, dislodging some loose dirt from the slopes nearby.

"See what I mean?"

Aang held himself back.

 _They'll be okay,_ he reassured himself. _They're both strong enough._

[-]

Swaths of forest had been torn up in their struggle. Water pooled all around, collecting into the ruts gouging the loam, only to be pulled back up to for another attack. Zuko would head Hama off, shielding Katara as she would counterattack.

Still, the old woman refused to back down, or even hold off long for any significant length of time.

"There has to be some way for us to talk her down," Katara said, redirecting another flow.

Zuko raised another earthen wall, only for it to crack under the pressurized jet. "Have you been listening to her? She's set on this path."

The woman in question flanked them, diving in at Zuko, slashing at him with icy claws. Holding fast, the Avatar glared at Hama.

"You're a disgrace," he growled.

Growling back, Hama disengaged and backpedaled, showering them with icicles.

"I saw Kinna's entire life, from her birth to her dying breath."

"Don't you dare say her name again!" Hama snarled.

"You didn't even look to see if anyone else was alive when you escaped. You abandoned them!"

Hama's remaining self-control snapped, restraint was cast away. In front of her, surging towards her foes, juts of ice sprung from the ground, tearing the soil. Katara shattered them with ease, showering the old woman with bits of ice.

Zuko fell back, hoisted a chunk of the ground and hurled it over Katara's head and at Hama.

Blades of water slashed the boulder apart like clay, stalling it long enough for the old woman to relocate before it landed.

Zipping around, Hama tore water from anything and everything in sight, from the air, from the plants and trees, from the ground beneath them, blasting at Zuko and Katara in a frenzy. When she came in for another charge, Zuko swept his legs as Katara blasted the old woman's torso. Splitting the blast, Hama recovered in the air, kicking the girl away and stomping Zuko into the dirt.

Shoving himself up, Zuko reflexively caught Hama's fist before she plowed it into his head. The skin on Hama's arm shredded off when her fist connected with Zuko's palm. The air around them burst from the impact. Shrieking in pain, Hama leaped back, slapping aside Katara's attack and redirected it towards Zuko, shoving him into a collection of bushes.

" _You're getting your butts kicked. Are you sure this is an old woman?"_

Rising to his knees, Zuko looked for his assailant.

" _Seriously though, you're going to need my help."_

From where he stood, Katara's strength was wavering, and the beating she was receiving from the old waterbender was beginning to show. Closing his eyes, Zuko set his jaw. _Do it._

A thrum of pleasure pinged in the back of his head. _"Allow me some time to prepare."_

Drawing his sword, Zuko felt something collect over his face. Power began to surge from within, coarse and laced with malice. The winds shifted, energy collecting and twisting around him.

"HAMA!" Zuko roared out.

The old woman turned to face the challenge, and seeing his back turned, rushed in at full speed, ignoring Katara entirely.

The moment Hama blitzed forward, Zuko wheeled around. Everything appeared to move slower, the surrounding faded out of perception, light and color faded almost entirely, save for the waterbender and himself.

Surprise was written all over Hama's face when she saw the Blue Spirit's mask materializing, but she was already committed to the offensive, barreling towards the Avatar with a torrent of water behind her.

The sound of metal singing echoed as Zuko swung out, slashing across Hama's chest. Air ripple, splitting the wave and showering the battleground. The old woman rolled to her feet, clutching at the wound in the fruitless hope of sealing it. She looked at Zuko, hatred burning behind her eyes, even as the light in them rapidly faded out.

"I'm sorry," Zuko whispered.

"Spare me your empty sympathy- Ack!"

Gurgling out her last breath, Hama sank to the ground.

 **A/N: Fun fact: this chapter was posted the same night as the full moon.**

 **Moving along, the thing about making Zuko** _ **more**_ **powerful is the necessity to change the challenges both he and the rest of the GAang (will reveal new name later) faces, up the ante in each fight that comes their way. The battle with Hama was altered to reflect this, and I really enjoyed writing this sequence.**

 **On the development side of things, I did some retooling for Book Four, and it looks like Freedom may surpass Substance in length, mostly because I'm more or less cannibalizing some of the comics (** _ **The Promise, The Search,**_ **and** _ **The Rift**_ **). For those who haven't read any of them yet, expect some slight spoilers. For those who have, I'm going to mix things up a little to keep things a bit surprising. *grins***

 **In parting, try looking up the chapter title on YouTube or something. It's the music that was playing in my head while constructing the fight scene.**


	36. One Dark Summer Day

Ashes to Ashes

Another day dawned over the Fire Nation, Appa flying amidst the clouds to their last stop, the rendezvous point. After Hama, the group had traveled mostly in silence. Even Sokka and Toph refrained from their usual bantering.

While no one really tried avoiding him, it was not until after they made camp before anyone said anything, least of all to Zuko.

"Are you okay, Zuko?" Katara asked.

Zuko looked up to the sky. "More or less," he answered eventually. "I'm sure you're worse off than I am, seeing as I killed the only known link you had to any previous generations of Southern Water Tribe waterbenders."

Katara shrank a little. "It's hard. But seeing what she did, both to us and those people, I can't see how else we could have stopped her. She had spent too long stewing in her own hate that..." She looked down at, faintly tracing her own scars absently. "Just thinking about her, I keep coming back to how I feel about my mother, and how I might end up like Hama."

"You don't have to talk about it. Not right now."

She steadied her breathing, and then she turned back to Zuko. "What was it that you did back there? One moment, we were being beaten back, but then…something started suffocating me."

"So that energy I felt when I tried healing you…"

"They're connected, yes." Zuko sighed. "It's a long story, but the short version is that I have some spirit hanging onto me, and he ends up giving me power in the process. I'm still trying to work things out, and he doesn't like talking about himself all that much."

Katara stared at him, blinking repeatedly. "How long?"

"He's been around for a while, but he wasn't really doing all that much until last winter. Probably around the time you found Aang. You don't have to worry about it. He's been keeping mostly to himself as of late."

"As long as you're sure," Katara said dubiously.

[-]

Spending a couple of days camping at the rally point allowed them to unwind some, but there was little else they could do that would not draw hostile attention to their location aside from training with Zuko, who was keeping away from earthbending for the interim.

The last dawn, Sokka found himself up before sunrise for once, and everyone else was stirring earlier than usual. Tending to their chores, they prepared for the others to arrive.

To the east, amidst the receding morning mist, clouds drifted in on the wind.

"Is this going to set the invasion back?" Katara asked.

Sokka stood up, squinting his eyes. "No. It _is_ the invasion fleet!"

A small fleet of ships, Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, and a single Fire Nation vessel, were headed for the cove, the latter was being partially dragged in by the Earth Kingdom ships since its engine appeared to be cold.

"Come on! Let's go down and meet them."

Zuko and Toph formed some docks for the ships to work with, allowing the passengers to disembark, soldiers, warriors, and fighters gathering in small groups. After greeting the Kyoshi Warriors, Sokka went over to chat with an odd looking man with glasses, excitedly discussing some of the equipment to be used. When Iroh stepped out, Zuko smiled and went over to him.

"Any troubles getting here?" he asked.

"Nothing dramatic," Iroh answered, giving his nephew a quick hug.

"That's surprising."

"There are still hours in the day. Anything could still happen."

Handshakes and helloes were exchanged, Aang, Katara, and Sokka introducing Zuko and Toph to the friends that had joined the task force, the others doing same for acquaintances who had volunteered.

"Is that who I think it is?" Katara asked, pointing to the general from the Earth Kingdom contingent.

"General Fong," Aang confirmed.

The General looked a bit weathered, as could be expected from someone who had his government collapse, his capitol conquered, but he still exuded the same level of confidence Aang remembered as he walked up to them and greeted them.

"It is good to see the Avatar taking to the front lines," he said, "even if it was not who I was originally expecting." He looked over to Zuko. "As much as I am interested in the story, I suppose it will have to wait until after the invasion."

"Sorry about that," Aang said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

"Nothing to worry. Regardless, I intend to participate in the final chapter of this war, even if I won't see the end of it." Raising a hand, he cut Aang off. "Don't trouble yourself over empty platitudes. Everyone knows what we risk in this venture."

[-]

Zuko watched the ragtag band of soldiers make their preparations for the coming battle. Equipment and supplies were distributed, there was a briefing conducted by Sokka and his dad, though the latter did most of the constructive dissemination of information; Zuko barely caught anything the younger warrior had said.

After all the major preparations were complete, they sat down to eat one last meal before they set out. Apprehension was an undercurrent to the atmosphere, but everyone had confidence in their undertaking.

Observing from a slight rise, Zuko sat with Sokka, who was still down from his earlier fumble.

"So we have the Water Tribe warriors, a bunch of Earth Kigndom resistance cells, disparate groups, a spattering of Earth Kingdom soldiers, some random people you've run into, us, and whatever equipment we could muster…even with the advantage of the Eclipse, this is going to be tough."

Sokka looked up at Zuko as he paced back and forth "Well, it's not like we need to fully occupy the place."

"Yeah, we just need to get the most powerful firebendering alive while he is at his weakest with an entire army in the way to stop us."

"That's awfully pessimistic," Sokka snorted. "I thought that was my job around here."

"I'm just keeping things in perspective."

"Still, if the new hardware works out, we'll actually have a chance of surviving all of this. Speaking of, do you know what you're going to do?"

"Apart from storming the Fire Lord's lair and confronting him during the eclipse, not really."

"We could just drop the mountain on top of him. Make things easier."

The former prince shot a withering glare at the other boy. "No. Dead or alive, I won't be satisfied until I've seen him myself."

"You sure you're going to be okay? You seem kind of...aggressive, like you're angrier than usual."

Zuko pursed his lips. "As much as I have a score to settle, no matter how much my duty compels me to end him the moment we meet, even if he'd gladly do the same to me, he is still my father. To answer your question, I don't know."

[-]

Aang looked into his reflection in the water's surface, the mop of hair that had grown wild since his return to the world.

Razor in hand, he began shaving the locks off, then looked back at his own reflection. He scarcely recognized himself without the hair anymore.

Over the trip, he had managed to gather the materials make an approximation of an Air Nomad's garb, mixing it with the other clothes he had acquired. Securing his old headbands to his belt, he pulled out Monk Gyatso's amulet from his satchel, remembering the kind old man who had taught him so much.

"What would you think of all of this?" he wondered aloud, imagining his old mentor standing in front of him. "I know I was supposed to get involved when I was the Avatar, but now…"

"Aang?"

The airbender turned around.

"Hey, Katara," he answered.

"They're about to start the briefing," she said.

"Right."

Returning the amulet to the satchel, he picked up his staff and followed Katara to the assembly area. He was still an Air Nomad, an airbending master. Even if he was no longer the Avatar, he still had a role to play in the events to come.

[-]

Once everyone loaded onto their ships, the fleet moved out. It was a sunny morning, winds blowing strongly at their backs. A subdued air hung over the crew and passengers akin to a funeral. Little to no chatter, no jokes shared, only the slow countdown to landfall.

Amidst the cloud of fog being generated by waterbenders, morning edged toward afternoon before the first obstacle of the invasion reared its head.

"The Great Gates of Azulon," Iroh said, stepping away from the eyeglass. "Prepare for the next phase of the plan."

The fleet entered battle formation, ships and crew readying weapons for the coming engagement.

In front of them, the chains were raised and ignited, blocking the way into the bay. A signal flare was sent up by the local garrison, followed by a deployment of jet skis. Hostile ships moved in, catapults letting loose their arsenal. Earthbenders launched missiles of their own, intercepting most of the shots before they could land.

The fog was dispersed and the ships, already slowing down, turned to face the approaching naval forces. Waterbenders doused the flames and the crew prepared to repel boarders.

"So it begins." Taking a deep breath, he looked out beyond the statue of his father. "Good luck."

[-]

Beneath the raging battle on the surface, the submarines detached from the Water Tribe vessels and sailed under the chains. Toph had already puked out her breakfast into the Duke's offered helmet, but otherwise, everything was working smoothing.

"So this is what you had in mind," Zuko said, glancing over to Sokka.

"I just came up with the idea. The Mechanist did all the work."

"Don't sell yourself short, my boy," the Mechanist piped. "You're the one who came up with the concepts…though your original designs were a bit difficult to decipher."

Zuko snorted into his shoulder, remembering the drawings.

"There was one thing I was unable to resolve," the older man continued.

"That doesn't sound good," Toph muttered, almost unheard.

"We have a limited air supply. We will have to resurface once before we reach our destination."

"That will be a good time for us to split off," Zuko murmured.

An hour of sail later, they resurfaced, rested, and stretched their legs. Appa waited for this infiltration team.

"Ready for this?" Sokka inquired.

Zuko took a deep breath. "As ready as I can hope to be."

"I know we got off on the wrong foot, but thanks for having our backs."

Looking down, Zuko took the hand being offered.

"I don't really know what else to say, but good luck."

"To you, as well."

Walking to Appa, Zuko saw that Aang was still saying goodbye to Katara.

"See you after this is all over," Mai said.

Zuko turned to face her. "So you're going with the invasion force after all?"

"You're going after the Fire Lord," she answered. "Azula will be close by, and I have no intention of being anywhere close to her for the near future."

"Alright. Stay safe out there."

Mai leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips and turned away leaving Zuko standing dumbfounded until Toph slugged his shoulder, scoffing at his reaction. He shook his head and turned to the earthbender girl.

"All set?" he asked.

"Yup. Don't think I'll need to puke again." Serious, she looked up at him. "Don't worry, Sparks. I've got your back. Now, let's go and kick some butt!"

Climbing onto Appa, Aang took the reins and Zuko formed a bubble around them all.

"Ready," Zuko announced.

"Here we go," Aang said. "Appa, yip-yip!"

Plunging into the depths of the water, they swam alongside the submarines.

"I hope Sugar Queen's lessons were enough," Toph grumbled. "I'd rather not drown before we do anything."

"That's why we're not staying under for long."

The trip dragged on, getting closer to their destination. When Zuko began perspiring from exertion, he looked to the airbender. "Aang."

"Up we go!"

The water surface broke, Appa taking to the skies. Toph clung to the saddle, clenching her teeth tightly as their bubble burst, showering them with sea water.

Zuko sat down, catching his breath.

"Remember, keep to the course we set," he said. "The others are supposed to draw out the main force before we arrive." Deeply inhaling the salty air, Zuko braced himself for what was to come.

Above them, the moon was already drifting into position, the foreboding shadow casting over the imminent battlefield.

 **A/N: The Day of Black Sun invasion begins. I won't spend much time with the main invasion force, as most of that will happen as before. What** _ **will**_ **be different is that Zuko already knows where to find the Fire Lord, and he constructed his team specifically for this mission.**

 **And since General Fong didn't earn the enmity of the GAang this time, I decided to include him on the task force, bringing in some extra soldiers and ships. Seriously, they needed more resources to make the operation viable.**

 **Sorry-not-sorry to any shippers who favored any Zuko-related pairings that weren't Maiko. All the same, be not disheartened; if there is anything that can be consistently expected from what I write, it's that violence and tragedy are always looming on or just beyond the horizon, and plot armor goes only so far before the Reaper comes calling.**


	37. Day of Black Sun

Appa groaned as they closed in on their destination. Zuko looked over the side of the saddle, the view of the caldera that encircled the main city and palace.

Quietly sighing, Zuko reiterated the layout as he recalled it. "Remember: it's going to be narrow corridors and long hallways between the outside and the royal quarters."

"You don't need to remind us again, Sparks," said Toph.

"We only have one shot at this. I don't want to waste the opportunity."

"Yeah, well, stressing out over it isn't really helping anyone. Especially not you."

"We're here," Aang hollered.

Hitting the ground, they dismounted. Being well outside the city and its fortifications, they did not have to worry about running afoul of any resistance.

"The others should have already started their landing by now." Zuko looked down at his eclipse timer. In the distance, a quick succession of explosions confirmed the suspicion. "It looks like we have about ten minutes before the full eclipse. Alright, Toph. This is your part of the show."

Toph scoped out the territory, knocking on the surface at regular intervals. "Natural tunnels, some caves…ah! There we are! A big, dense metal thing."

"That's it."

"One tunnel coming up."

The girl cracked her knuckles and went to work. As she began tunneling, Aang turned to Appa.

"Stay safe, buddy."

The sky bison took off, leaving the trio to take their plunge into the depths of the volcanic hideaway.

[-]

Sokka watched from temporary cover as a team of earthbenders led by General Fong moved up, forcing the enemy formation to break and retreat. All around them were the battered remains of the forces that had come out to meet them, columns of smoke training to the sky where broken artillery batteries had gone up in flames. The wrecks of tanks and abandoned hardware were strewn up the entire way, the surface pockmarked by the struggle.

With their ability to hold the port compromised and the landing force pushing in, the Fire Nation was withdrawing up the switchback, keeping in good order as the pulled back into the city. If Sokka were to make a wager, he would bet that the enemy had set up some extra defenses in preparation. Probably some traps rigged up for an overeager platoon to trip on.

Every instinct was warning him it was a trap, being led into the capital a part of the enemy's plan to counter and crush them.

 _"Come on, Zuko. Don't fail us now."_

[-]

Toph's tunneling abilities were something that Zuko had not been able to really appreciate before. Not relying on normal sight like him and Aang were, she could navigate to their objective without deviation, and her skill with earthbending pulled even the toughest granite apart like soft mud.

Their venture soon found them breaking into the next cave, where they found a lake of lava stretching out in front of them.

"There's no way we can jump over that," said Aang.

Kneeling down, Zuko tiddled his fingers, the magma stilled and darkened, forming a solid surface.

"Toph."

"Not a problem," she answered. Raising her hands, a bridge formed, high above the still cooling substance.

"Aang, you're up next."

"Keep behind me," Aang said, moving in front of the others, cooling surface as they went. Reaching the other side, they breached the next tunnel, landing outside the outer shell of the hideout.

"Looks like another job for the World's Greatest Earthbender," Toph declared.

Wedging her finger in between the doors, she pried them open like foil.

Zuko went in first, clearing the way for the others. Resistance was thin, especially for the hidden sanctum of the Fire Lord.

"Where is everyone?" Toph asked. "I thought there'd be more guards."

"My father probably wanted to keep us focused on the palace and the city. Fewer guards would mean his location would be less likely leaked out to us if we interrogated anyone."

The brief conversation nearly had them collide with the War Minister as he glided through the hallway.

Qin froze as the kids ran up to him, eyes flicking from one to the other. Stopping, they all stared at the minister, all but daring him to spontaneously combust.

"Long live Fire Lord Zuko!" he loudly proclaimed, wisely removing himself from their path.

Toph and Aang ran forward, Zuko pausing to fix the man with a glare, struggling not to smirk at how he quivered under the scrutiny.

"I know how to get there," he said finally, then sprinted off after his friends.

Running along, they navigated the labyrinth, stopping in front of the doors to the chamber they were after. Zuko's eyes flashed for a split second and he took a step back.

"He's not in here," Zuko said.

Toph's eyes widened. "What? Where is he then?"

Zuko dropped to his knees, light poking through his closed eyelids.

"There's another chamber further in. He has his guard surrounding him, but they look like the Imperial Firebenders." The Avatar paused, looking up at the ceiling. "The eclipse is already in effect, so they shouldn't be much of a problem. Let's go."

A short run down the hall and up the stairs, they came to the next hiding spot.

"Are you ready?" Aang asked.

Zuko looked over his shoulder, then back to the door.

"You both stay outside. Keep everyone else off of me."

"Right, keep an entire fortress of guards away from you," Toph drawled. "That sounds simple enough. Come on, Twinkles; I have an idea."

As the other two ran off, Zuko shoved the doors open and stepped inside to meet his father.

[-]

Mai observed the eclipse through her provided glasses, allowing her to look directly at it. Around her, entire squads of soldiers, firebenders powerless from the celestial phenomenon, were being rounded up and led deeper into the city and towards the palace.

"How are we supposed to hold them when they get their bending back?" she asked Suki.

"If our faith isn't misplaced, Zuko will have dealt with the Fire Lord. After that, I don't know."

[-]

It was quite a sight that Zuko was met with. In front of his father was a double line of the Imperial Firebenders, poised to engage the intruder. Their reception of him was just as dramatic. Without regard for his royal status, or lack thereof, the moment the door thudded close, they surged forward. Without their firebending, they had to fall back to their ceremonial weapons and skills they had not invested as much time in.

Zuko was able to subdue them rather easily, even when taking great care in pinning them in place with earthbending without crushing them and knocking them out without much fanfare.

Fire Lord Ozai watched as his son made short work of his guards, then turned to the Fire Lord himself. He made to rose, contemplating making an escape, but thought better of it when he realized that help would not be coming at the moment and that his son could easily overtake him if it came to a chase.

Not that he would ever deign to give him that satisfaction.

"Wait!" he urged, raising a hand. Surprisingly, the boy complied.

"Are you actually begging for mercy?" Zuko drawled incredulously.

"Hardly. I see Azula's hypothesis proved correct…Avatar Zuko." He drew the words out with a grudging acceptance, eclipsed by indignant fury at the reversal of roles. "Do you intend to strike me down like a coward?"

"Not yet. I want some answers first."

"Answers at sword-point?" the Fire Lord chuckled lightly. "This ought to be interesting. Go on then. Ask away. What mysteries of life do you want revealed?"

For a moment, silence reigned in the room, not even the incapacitated guards making a sound until Zuko spoke up.

"For so long, all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me. I thought it was my honor I wanted, but really, I was just trying to please you. You, my father, who banished me just for talking out of turn." The young man's temper flared, his voice rising alongside. "My father, who challenged me, a thirteen-year-old boy, to an Agni Kai. How could you possibly justify a duel with a child?"

"It was to teach you respect!" Ozai snapped.

"Respect?! I was thirteen! How do you justify fighting me when you _knew_ I had no chance of winning? Why did you burn my face, when I had already told you I wouldn't fight?"

"If you have to ask that, then you learned nothing."

Biting back another remark, Zuko schooled his features. "I see. Since you have nothing else to justify what happened, I suppose I should finish what I came here to do."

Seeing his son stepping forward, swords in hand, Ozai leaned into his throne and played his next card.

"I suppose you don't want to know what happened to your mother, then."

Zuko stopped in his tracks. In the back of his mind, he could hear Blue snarling.

" _He's baiting you! Kill. Him."_

"What happened that night?" Zuko growled dangerously, ignoring the spirit. "And speak quickly."

"My father, Fire Lord Azulon, had commanded me to do the unthinkable to you, to slay my own son, and I was going to do it."

" _He's lying. He's drawing out the wait."_

"Your mother found out and swore she would protect you at any cost. She knew I wanted the throne and she proposed a plan, a plan in which I would become Fire Lord and your life would be spared. Your mother did vicious, treasonous things that night. She knew the consequences and accepted them. For her treason, she was banished."

"So she _is_ alive."

"Perhaps."

"No, I've already suspected she was still alive. Thank you for confirming it."

"And thank you." Jumping up, Ozai generated twin bolts of lightning and released the energy towards his son.

Eyes widening, Zuko dropped his swords and raised his hands in defense. Automatically, his fingertips guided to the incoming bolts, intercepting them. At that point, he moved as ingrained training demanded, redirecting the lightning back out at the Fire Lord.

Ozai had no time to react before the energy struck.

[-]

Zuko shoved the double doors open, leaving smell of burned flesh behind him. For all of his father's skill with firebending, all of the power he threw behind that bolt of lightning, Ozai had clearly not anticipated having that same destructive force thrown back at him. That brief moment of horror that had flashed across his face when Zuko had redirected duel bolts of lightning was something that would be etched into the Avatar's memory for eternity.

He mildly regretted having stopped to listen to his father's talking. What he had said had given him pause, pause enough for Ozai to take advantage of when the eclipse had ended. Zuko would have liked to have known what had happened to his mother in full, but after all he had seen and been through, he doubted Ozai would have ever told him anything of substance. He would have to find the truth another way.

A thud drew his attention to Toph and Aang, who emerged into view as Zuko stepped into the hall, Dai Li agents scattered around their feet. Both of them drew the appropriate conclusion when they saw his face.

Aang pointed down the hall. "Zuko, Azula just went-"

The Avatar did not let them finish, sprinting in the indicated direction. Her trail was rather easy to pick up on, as were her footsteps. In short order, he overtook the fleeing princess.

"Azula!" Zuko called out.

When his sister kept running, he slammed his fists into the floor, shaking the tunnel and collapsing the way in front of her, forcing her to turn around and straight into her waiting pursuers.

Reaching out, Zuko bid the rocks the hold her against the wall. Despite the calm veneer, he could hear her heart racing, slowly steadying to a slower rhythm.

"Don't. Move," he warned, pointing his sword to her throat.

Aang reached out and grabbed the Avatar's arm. "Zuko, don't!"

The man in question was positively bristling with malevolent energy at the interruption, but Aang held fast.

"You're awfully brave," Zuko growled. "Give me a reason why I shouldn't end her here and now."

"Killing her isn't right. It never is."

"Yet you seemed perfectly fine with my killing the Fire Lord."

"You yourself said that Azula would be necessary to maintaining stability."

Zuko pressed the metal a little closer to his sister's neck. "Only temporarily."

"Listen to your friend, Zuzu," Azula crooned, keeping a safe distance from the edge of steel. "If I die, who will keep the Fire Nation together? How long will the Avatar be able to keep peace before the nobles throw themselves into chaos to seize the power and influence the throne holds? You can't kill me without killing thousands in the long run."

Zuko seethed at his sister's gloating. Azula grinned at her victory when he backed down.

"You're right."

Her smug grin vanished as the right side of her chest combusted. As she extinguished the flames at her shoulder, Zuko slammed his foot against her nearest knee, breaking it. Collapsing, she yowled in pain, her eyes being cut open and burned back shut in short order.

"What's wrong with you?" Azula screeched, hands grasping over her face.

"You're not wrong," he answered, sheathing his swords. "Killing would cause more problems for me later on. But that doesn't mean I have to leave you unharmed. I'll leave you with your wings clipped for now. Remove the Fire Nation from the Earth Kingdom, or I'll be back to finish the job regardless of the outcome."

Walking away from the flailing princess, Zuko glared at Aang.

"Happy?"

Brushing past the silent airbender, Zuko headed back to the surface, the others following suit.

[-]

A dozen war balloons rose over the mountains, and then began drifting towards the battlefield that had erupted in the capitol. The Fire Nation forces rallied and began pushing back at the invaders, who had begun withdrawing in light of the counter-attack.

Commander Sho stood triumphantly on the bridge of the leading dirigible as they neared the fleeing enemy.

"Today," he began boasting, "we show what happens to those who trespass on Fire Nation territory. Prepare to launch ordinance."

The foremost balloon signaled the rest of the flight to do likewise. Just as they prepared to bombard the enemy, the war balloon lurched to the side, thunder reverberating through the metal frame as it angled sharply starboard, nearly colliding with its neighbor.

"What was that?!" one of the controllers exclaimed.

The forward window shattered in front of them, ushering a figure dressed in Fire Nation garb. He reached out and struck the two crewmen who attacked, neutralizing them and leaving them groaning and rolling on the floor.

The commander was about to attack as well until he realized a sword point was resting against his throat.

"I am Avatar Zuko. Put this vessel down and signal the others to do the same."

"Prince Zuko?" the commander scoffed. "You're a disgraced traitor. I have neither the need nor inclination to listen to you."

Zuko grabbed the man and smashed their heads against each other. The commander dropped to the floor, completely concussed. A shiver rippled over the room when the Avatar searched for the next man down the chain of command.

"Fire Lord Ozai is dead. The war is over. Signal the other war balloons to cease offensive."

The rest of the crew hesitated until Zuko launched a lance of concentrated fire struck the nearest balloon, sending it crashing to the ground. The Avatar looked back at the crew, fire in his eyes as he reiterated his demand.

"Tell them land or I will force them to."

With no further dithering, the crew sprung to action, eagerly waving their fellows to set down with all haste.

Hovering over the ground, the crews began making ready to disembark, but Zuko did not wait for them to finish before hopping off the edge, leaving a divot where he landed. The Earth Kingdom soldiers and Water Tribe warriors eased forward when the Avatar stepped into view.

"The war is over."

 **A/N: For the curious, the sequence where Ozai attacks Zuko and the immediate aftermath was the first part of this story written, the genesis moment of the story as whole for Avatar Zuko when I wondered what would have happened if he** _ **was**_ **the one intended to defeat the Fire Lord.**

… **Yeah. Canon!Ozai should be grateful that Avatar Aang is such a devout pacifist. AFY!Ozai didn't get the same consideration from Avatar Zuko.**

 **That said, Book Three is still ongoing. Sozin's Comet is still on its way, and** _ **that**_ **is what will be the season finisher. But that is a couple chapters down the line.**

 **On a side note, we never really see Ozai use any form of bending outside of the finale when he has the comet power boost, except for this moment during the invasion. Azula is a prodigy, and Iroh is a renowned master of firebending, yet even they have to take a couple seconds to charge up a bolt of lightning, and it requires both hands to accomplish. When Ozai lashed out, he not only double downed on the technique, but it took around a second to get the simultaneous shots out, and it's an intense white as opposed to the blue-hued bolts of his brother and daughter. Make of it what you will.**


	38. Change of Fortunes

Screams echoed through his mind. Her screams. No amount of plugging or covering over his ears would block out the sound. Empty eyes stared back at him, accusing him as she was consumed by white flames, howling into the void until she disappeared.

He woke to the darkness of his room.

Zuko took stock of his surroundings, the calm rocking of a ship at port, vague scents of torches, candles, and incense wafting in the air, mingling with the smells of ship and harbor. He swung out of bed and looked himself in the mirror and wiped some of the sweat from his brow.

"What is wrong with me?" he wondered aloud.

Behind his golden eyes, he saw – felt Blue glowering at him. The Spirit had been more than content to remind Zuko of his presence, even if all he did was observe.

Yet Blue's anger had rubbed against Zuko's own fury and resentment, both erupting spectacularly when Ozai attempted to strike him down.

 _Enough!_ Zuko rebuked the presence, splashing some water onto his face. As much as he wanted to continue hiding in his quarters, he had other things to do.

Outside, the noises of repair and cleaning efforts were already starting. General Iroh's ships had all been brought in the previous day bearing the scars of their battle and the jubilant crews loudly cheering and joining the celebrations. While they were undergoing repairs, Zuko had taken up one of the rooms on ship to rest in between work days.

Dressed and ready for the day, he emerged from his quarters. Making his way to the docks, Zuko barely acknowledged the hails and greetings in passing, automatically heading for where he had intended to help for the day.

Thanks to the combined efforts, the restoration and reconstruction were progressing smoothly and rapidly, most of the damage had been cleared out and repaired already, allowing for more to tend to the wounded.

If planning for the invasion was nerve-wracking, cleaning up the mess that came afterward was magnitudes more difficult. There were the casualties, though for that, Zuko thought, were mercifully light for both sides and the capitol had been evacuated beforehand. Structural damage was easily mended, what with all the earthbenders hanging around and the army of able bodies there to facilitate reconstruction.

The list of things to do was still growing, and Zuko felt a small migraine coming on just thinking about it. Fortunately, he would not be responsible for doing all of it himself.

Last he had heard, Azula was still put up in bed, convalescing, but if the healers were to be believed, she would be recovered enough to assume the duties of the Fire Lord today and a small coronation ceremony within the week.

 _Or Fire Lady,_ Zuko thought. It wasn't something that had been brought up before, seeing all the predecessors who had ruled in their own right had been male. _A conundrum, that's for certain._

Back to task, Toph was occupied with reconstruction, Katara was healing the wounded alongside the other healers and doctors, all tasked to capacity, even with the relatively light casualties. Sokka was still organizing the task force, having taken command after his father had been wounded in the battle, only now he was just keeping the peace and making sure no one tried any funny business while everyone else recovered. Aang and Mai were moving from place to place, helping wherever they could, since their skillsets were not exactly conducive to rebuilding.

After they were finished in the capitol, they had to deal with the factories dotting the landscape, as most of them were still devoted to the war machine, and if memory served, they coughed up large amounts of pollution.

Then there were all the POWs and the political prisoners, former colonies, occupied and contested territory to liberate and untangle.

 _All that is in the future for now,_ Zuko thought. He still had another, more immediate concern.

Sighing, he progressed through the chambers. When arrived where the rest of the entourage awaited, Hakoda and General Fong rose to greet him.

"Are you ready?" Zuko asked.

"My people have been waiting one hundred years for this moment," General Fong answered. "I'm more than ready."

Chief Hakoda nodded. "Shall we?"

Leading to the conference room,

The delegation was met by a docile Azula, the soon-to-be Fire Lord confined to a chair, eyes and leg still bandaged. She only barely followed their movements, tracking them by the sounds of their footsteps. Even crippled, she still held herself up regally, power still simmering within.

Zuko was still questioning his handling of Azula. While she was no longer able to fight, she was still a formidable tactician and strategist. If she still had hostile intentions, she kept them superbly well hidden.

He stopped himself short on that particular train of thought to make sure Blue was still behaving himself.

"Please, seat yourself," she said, voice small and unassuming. "I'm sure we have much to discuss for the impending treaty."

General Fong frowned slightly. "While Chief Hakoda is free to speak for his people, I would rather the Earth King be a part of any permanent end to hostilities. This is not a peace treaty. Yet. And I am certain the leaders of the other nations would wish to be present for such a momentous occasion."

Azula tented her fingers on her lap. "Very well. Then it should be a simple matter until such an event can be arranged. Messages are already being sent to the Fire Nation commanders to stand down until such an arrangement can be made."

"That's good to hear," Hakoda said

"Why not have your forces pull back entirely?" Fong challenged.

"Because there are plenty of prisoners to be exchanged on both sides," Azula answered. Fong looked ready to contest the decision, but she beat him to the punch. "Until we can properly facilitate an exchange and establish a proper treaty, my troops will stay where they are at the moment. I imagine you would prefer having us where you can see us."

Zuko narrowed his eyes, but said nothing as the talks continued.

[-]

Sigh.

Another day, more cleanup. Since nearly all of the work had been completed, Mai was left with little else to do other than sit around. Idly leaning on a wall outside the camp, she twirled around a dagger as she waited for the meeting to finish up when a familiar voice called out.

"Mai?"

Standing up, Mai turned to the source. "Ty Lee?"

Mai was then promptly reminded that the acrobat had both speed _and_ strength, nearly taking her to the floor when she was glomped.

"You're alive!" she cheered. "When you didn't show up after the explosion, we thought you had been killed."

"Almost was," Mai replied.

"Well, it's still good to see you. Where have you been all this time?"

Mai's gaze shifted to the side as the bubbly girl drew her conclusions.

"So, you helped the Avatar?"

"Mmhm."

"It's so crazy that Zuko never told us."

"He didn't know back then."

"Well, what do you think of all of this? After seeing what he did to Azula, his own sister…"

"To be fair, she did try to kill him several times."

Ty Lee deflated slightly. Her admiration and veneration of Azula was being tarnished alongside her faith in the Fire Nation.

"Where did things go wrong?" she wondered aloud.

"With what?" Mai asked. Honestly, there was a pretty long list for that.

"We grew up together, only for us to try killing each other. You heard about their dad, right?"

Mai nodded. "How did you find out?"

"I heard from the guards who were there. If not for them, it's possible that we would have never realized it was the Fire Lord." Mai tried to ignore the uncharacteristic frown on the other girl's face. "Speaking of, I heard that Zuko had removed himself from succession and passed the title to Azula. I'm not sure how happy she is, since…you know."

"On a brighter side, we won't be fighting anymore."

"Mai? Brighter side?"

"What?"

Ty Lee hugged Mai suddenly. "I knew you'd lighten up eventually!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Mai said, prying the girl off.

"Do we have Zuko to thank for that?"

Mai blushed slightly. "Among other reasons."

A short distance away, she could see the other members of Team Avatar at work, laughing as they worked. Ty Lee leaned over to look the same direction.

"I think it's good for you," she said eventually.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Mai asked.

"I'm sticking around for a little while. What about you?"

"Leaving. I technically committed treason, even if under a measure of duress, so I might keep my head down until that all blows over. I'll visit at some point, I'm sure."

"So…friends?"

Mai paused, then nodded. "Sure."

Ty Lee's face lit up. "See you soon, then. Don't be a stranger!"

One last hug and the acrobat went skipping along.

Mai sighed once more.

[-]

A knock on his door in the middle of the night had Zuko blinking the sleep out of his eyes as his eyes adjusted to the lights.

"I finally managed to get some sleep, Aang," he said. "Tell me this is important, or I'm going back to bed."

Thankfully, the airbender wasted no time getting to the point.

"Roku wants to talk to us."

That had Zuko wide awake in short order. "You talked to Avatar Roku? And what do you mean us?"

"Um…"

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "Nevermind. What did he have to say?"

"He said he wanted us to go to his island on the day of the solstice."

"Alright. Let me grab some things."

In short order, the duo were moving down the stairs to the main deck of the ship. Zuko grumbled a little along the way.

"Why didn't try talking to you at a more reasonable hour, or giving us time to prepare?"

"He didn't say," Aang replied. "Still, everyone else is ready to go."

"Everyone?"

They stepped out into the early morning air where everyone – Sokka, Katara, Toph, Mai, Suki – was loading onto Appa.

"Just for a simple trip like this?"

"Hey, we're still the Avatar Team here," Sokka answered. "We're with you wherever you guys need to go."

Zuko nodded. "Thanks."

[-]

In flight, they traded off in the pilot's seat, taking staggered naps. By the early light of dawn, nearly everyone had roused. Sitting quietly the entire trip, Zuko read through a number of scrolls.

"What are you reading, Sparks?" Toph asked.

"A copy of my great-grandfather's journal. I've been reading it nearly every night before I go to bed."

"Your great-grandfather must have been a boring guy in order to put you to sleep."

"Not entirely. For example, I found out that he and Roku were friends growing up."

Sokka perked up and looked back. "Really?"

"According to what I read, yes," Zuko confirmed. "Speaking of…Aang, you can still talk to the Avatars before you? All of them?"

"Yeah."

"But isn't Zuko the Avatar, now?" Suki asked.

"I'll always be part of the Avatar Cycle. I just didn't think I would be seeing any more of this until after I let go of my hold on this world."

"You can say dead here," Sokka chimed, though Katara quickly shushed him.

Zuko looked up from his reading. "Does this mean that until then, I'm going to have to find you to talk to any past Avatars? Before you, I mean."

Aang shrugged. "Maybe."

"Wonderful."

"Land!" Katara called out.

"There it is," Aang announced. "Roku's home."

As the drifted in a little closer, they got a better view of the island, devoid of any habitation, or any distinct landmarks, blanketed in clastic material.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Sokka asked. "It looks like there's nothing here."

"This is where Roku told us to go."

Zuko glanced over the side of the saddle. "If this is where we're supposed to go, we can debate the specifics once we're down there."

A quick landing, the group began dismounting.

"Does anyone else feel that?" Zuko inquired.

"What?" Sokka asked hesitantly. "Is something about to attack us again?

"It feels like a graveyard."

"Probably because it is," Toph said. "There's an entire village, hundreds of houses buried under the ash."

The wind whistled past the group as the stood in silence.

"This doesn't change anything," Zuko said, mercifully breaking the silence. "Ready, Aang?"

"Yup."

Both assumed lotus position, submersing themselves into the past. When they both came back out of their trip, both were wide-eyed and short of breath.

"That was intense," Aang panted.

Zuko stood up, having trouble with his footing. "I… I need some time to think on all of this."

Once they had walked off the effects of their journey, they relayed the story to the others. As the others were digesting it all, Toph was staring out thoughtfully.

"Do you really think friendships can last more than one lifetime?" she asked.

Aang grabbed her hand. "I don't see why not?"

"Well, scientifically speaking-"

"Sokka!" Zuko and Katara chorused.

One by one, the others joined in the group hug, standing under the fading daylight.

[-]

Zuko sat on the observation deck overlooking the plaza.

"A chilly night."

"Uncle. Thanks for the reading."

"It is important to know and understand your past, especially if you wish to avoid repeating the same mistakes as your forebears."

They sat there, listening to the waves washing around them until Zuko spoke up.

"What my great-grandfather did…"

"You have more than one great-grandfather, Zuko. Your mother's maternal grandfather was Avatar Roku. Good and evil are both in your nature, the legacy from your ancestors. But they are not all you are or will be."

Zuko looked down as his uncle turned to leave.

"Did I do the right thing, Uncle?" Iroh stopped in his tracks. "Should I have killed Azula?"

The old general stood still for a moment, then answered. "That is something only time will be able to tell."

 **A/N: A little breath of fresh air before the finale builds itself up. Also, you get to see one of two episodes from pre-DoBS that I moved and condensed. The other is where we will begin next time.**

 **The Avatar and the Fire Lord episode was pretty cool, but there really is no need for me to rehash everything from this part, especially when I'm doing so much to deviate from canon at this point, so we got a quick summary plus a few new comments. Would have skipped it entirely if it weren't for certain elements (heh.) needed for Book Four.**


	39. Under the Red Sky

"I'm thinking about starting a school for metalbending."

Everyone at the table stopped eating dinner and looked at Toph. Mixed looked of confusion, interest, and approval.

Sokka found his voice first.

"Huh." He could not think of anything else to say.

"What's that supposed to mean, Captain Boomerang?" Toph challenged.

"It's just, I guess I didn't really think of you as a teacher."

"I taught Sparks, didn't I?"

Zuko snorted. "You just want an excuse to beat the tar out of people. Don't you?"

Toph stuck her tongue out at her student. "That's a side benefit, yeah."

"There will probably be some real estate opening up in the colonies. One of the first things to change once we can get an actual peace treaty is turn over the colonies back to the Earth Kingdom."

Toph crossed her arms, pensive. "I guess that's as good a place as any to start."

"Since we're all talking about future plans," Sokka drawled. "Now that the war is over, what _is_ everyone doing with their newfound freedom? Toph's starting a school, Zuko will be doing Avatar stuff…"

"What about you, uncle?" Zuko asked. "What do you want to do?"

The old general tapped his chin and hummed thoughtfully. "I was thinking about going to Ba Sing Se and sample the teas there. You're welcome to join me."

"Think the Dai Li is still bothered about us wrecking the place?" Toph asked.

Zuko shrugged. "Who knows? Probably. Still, apart from official business, I'll be keeping away from the place as much as possible for the foreseeable future."

"Unless Uncle Iroh starts a tea shop there, I'm not planning on going back at all."

"I want to visit all the Air Temples," said Aang. "I want see if I can find anything that my people left behind."

"Depending on when you do it," Zuko offered, "I might tag along. I wouldn't mind aiding in help you restore your culture. I think I have some business to attend to in the meantime."

Toph looked over to Zuko. "You mean you aren't coming with us?"

"I'll follow you later. There's still plenty of work do around here."

"War's over, Sparks. There'll be plenty of time to do it later."

"Just until Sozin's Comet. I can probably help dismantle the Fire Nation war machine until then."

Sokka nodded his approval. "Smart thinking. And you'll be able to keep a closer eye on Azula."

"Right," Toph conceded, deflated a little.

"It's fine," Katara said. "We'll make sure everything's set up when you get there."

[-]

It had been more than a month since her coronation, and with the restoration of the capitol, Azula had been keeping to herself more and more, barely making any appearances since her "guests" had withdrawn from the city.

She sat in the dark of an old training room, opening her hands in alternation in accompanying pulses of light, fire and lightning erupting from her hands in concentrated bursts, never exceeding the size of grapefruit.

It had taken some effort, but she now had a solid grasp of how to use her bending by instinct and feel alone.

Opening her hands once more, simultaneously, she felt an almost solid ball form in her hands, bright and rippling, positively crackling with energy. Sustaining the twin suns, she contemplated what she wielded, committing their composition and presence to memory.

There was a knock on the door behind her, prompting her to extinguish the beacons in her hands.

"Enter," she commanded.

War Minster Qin strode in, straining his eyes in the dark to where she was sitting, facing away from him. She heard him prostrate himself. If her eyes were intact, she might have rolled them in annoyance. Instead, she let him sweat it out for a few moments before gesturing him to rise.

"Report," she commanded.

"Fire Lord Azula, the preparations you requested are completed."

A swift cut of the hand silenced the man before another word could be uttered. That was all that was really needed to be said, especially in the event that someone was listening. Waving her hand, she dismissed the war minister.

Alone once more, Azula resumed her meditations, replicating her earlier technique, basking in its warmth with a faint smile.

The way forward was clear.

[-]

The sun beat down on the lake town, even as the workers continued the extraction of pollutants and waste that had saturated the waters.

Above them, the factory stood silent and static. As part of the effort to deescalate from wartime, the Avatar had been going around the country decommissioning many of the factories that had produced war machines and the like. Even those that weren't decommissioned were undergoing significant renovation and reconfiguration before being repurposed for other tasks.

As the day wore on, Zuko kept his focus on staying above the surface of rapidly dwindling murk and muck, gathering up loose traces. Evidentially, there was a substantial concentration of minerals, which he gathered underneath and glided around the river while observing the cleanup.

Pulling to the shore, he dumped his platform into the nearby wagon. He nodded at the driver, who urged the rhinos forward.

In the fading light of day, Zuko looked out to the waters. While far from being completely clean, the worst of the tarnish had been taken care of, and the rest could easily be handled by the locals.

A ghostly light appeared next to him, loose ribbons drifting like fog on a non-existent wind. Zuko turned to face the newcomer and recognized her appearance from the many statues he had seen around the village.

 _The Painted Lady._ Zuko bowed respectfully to the local spirit.

"Thank you," she said, ethereal voice hanging in the air as she drifted away, leaving Zuko standing alone on the beach once more.

Returning to the town, he found the villagers celebrating, much like they had the last several nights.

Food was served, words were said, and then the music and games resumed, while Zuko observed from the sidelines. Admittedly, he was enjoying himself, taking a little time away from his work to relax a little and get off of his feet.

Of course, with any amount of quiet he was stewing in his thoughts, ruminating over things he had left to do. While most of it was progressing smoothly and at a fair pace, some places, much like the village he was at, had taken a little more time and effort, mostly because they had to divert resources to cleaning up the mess that had been made.

Running though about half his mental list, Zuko banished it from his mind, taking in the moment a little while longer.

[-]

When Zuko got up the next morning, he walked out into the village and looked up to the sky. A gentle breeze greeted him with the morning. It was a pleasant day, scarcely a cloud to be seen. It was picturesque, but the ambience was at odds with the apprehension pooling in the Avatar's stomach.

"Today's the day," he murmured.

Gathering his belongings, he made his way to Xu's shop, where the strange man was sorting his stock for the morning, wearing his Bushi hat.

"Can I get a ride back to the shore?" Zuko asked.

"Sure!" Bushi said. "Let me get my brother." Disappearing for a moment, the man switched hats back to the one he had worn when Zuko had first met him. "Bushi said you need another boat ride?"

 _And I thought I had issues._ "Yes, that would be appreciated."

Once ashore, he saddled up on the ostrich-horse he had ridden in on and set down the road to his next destination, when a messenger ran up to him, waving to get his attention.

"Avatar Zuko," he panted, resting his hands on his knees.

"Yes?" he answered, trying not to sound annoyed. "What is it?"

"There are some soldiers refusing to stand down. They've taken over Shuang village."

Zuko let out a slow, calming breath.

 _I guess I was already expecting this,_ he thought. "I'll head over there right away."

Throughout the ride, the sun began its descent, Sozin's Comet turned the skies red. Power surge to the point of overflow, fires burning wildly within the firebenders he passed along the way.

Arriving at the outskirts of his destination, he guided his horse to the stables. A small group of guards rose to greet him, nervously pointing spears at him as he rounded the corral.

"Where is your leader?" Zuko asked. "I would like to speak to him. Civilly, if at all possible."

The two men waiting with the horses looked at each other, casting worried glances. Behind them, a well-dressed man emerged and stepped forward.

"Greetings, Avatar," he said. "I can lead you the rest of the way."

"Who are you?" Zuko inquired, an eyebrow raised.

"I am Shu. I am a member of the Fire Nation Resistance Force. Now, if you would please follow me, our leaders would like to speak to you."

Zuko grudgingly dismounted and followed the wiry man.

The village was small, nestled in a valley, spreading up either side. Water wheels built along the river that flowed through powered a series of mills.

"Your actions have caused quite a stir, young Avatar," Shu said. "As has your arrival in this humble village. Despite what rumors would have you believe, we are merely protesting certain measures of the treaty."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "It hasn't even been finalized yet."

"Quite, but you have to admit, some of the terms come across as…distasteful."

As the man droned on, Zuko stretched out his senses. He could feel a few people keeping to the edges of the town, even some of the firebenders. In confirmation, the closer they got to their destination, nearly every street was empty, not a soul to be seen until he came up to western square.

" _This is a trap~"_ Blue sang.

 _I know,_ Zuko thought. He clenched his fists, willing them to remain hanging at his sides.

Stepping into the square itself, the waiting rebels rose, weapons in hand. Behind him, a blade nicked his clothes, but failed to drive into Zuko's back, held back by an invisible barrier. The would-be assassin found himself in a crushing grip.

"That was unwise," Zuko hissed, holding Shu's face close to his own.

More assailants emerged from the rooftops and doorways, some with weapons, many without. There had to be at least two dozen assassins holed up in the courtyard alone, and more were on the way when the ground opened beneath him, depositing him and the assassin in a punji pit.

"No! Wait!" Shu squealed on the way down.

The sharpened bamboo tore at Avatar's clothes, but snapped against his skin. As he extricated himself from the spikes, the earthbenders collapsed the walls on top of him, compacting it tightly before it all burst violently, Zuko emerging from the pit in a whirlwind.

Relentlessly, all of his foes attacked him, heedless of the casualties inflicted upon them. Fire and earth were manipulated, casted, and thrown in abundance, even as parts of the square slipped into the sinkhole.

As the number of assailants dwindled, a crackle behind him sent Zuko jumping to cover when an explosion ripped the air behind him, blowing him away with the shockwave.

Zuko jumped back to his feet, only to face a wall of fire racing towards him from one of the remaining firebenders.

Diverting the blaze, he retaliated by catapulting the man into the adjacent building when another explosion rocked the courtyard.

He ducked from cover to cover, each being blasted apart shortly after he left until the landing broke from the slope, drifting down the hillside. Zuko leapt to a breaking fragment, guiding himself through the landslide, dodging broken buildings and crumbling turf as he rode the mass to the river, launching himself to other side.

Or that was the intent, landing a couple of meters short and splashing into the water, along with a ton of rocked that exploded outward with him.

Allowing the current to take him downstream, he pulled himself ashore and ran for the nearest set of buildings. A few more blasts shot from the other side of the river, striking the surrounding woods and scouring them of life, prompting Zuko retreat back into the village.

He ducked into an empty house, watching as the remaining assassin emerged into view, navigating the newly-formed ford with ease. Bald, tall, and broad shouldered, a metal arm and a metal leg, and a tattoo of an eye on his forehead, Zuko already knew who had been sent after him, and guessed who had cooked up the scheme.

As assassin got closer, Zuko climbed out of the window, hoping to catch him from behind, but despite silently approaching from behind, the assassin stopped and turned. Thankfully, he did not immediately fire, squaring off with his opponent.

 _The Comet,_ Zuko postulated. _He's not sure of his bending with the power boost._

"I see Azula went all out in her assassination attempt," Zuko said, not really expecting a conversation. "And I suppose you're supposed to be the one to take me out and the rest were merely a distraction."

Silently, the assassin stepped forward, just slightly, looming over the Avatar. Then he took a breath.

The buildup of energy had Zuko scrambling before the detonation. Drawing up the thickest stone wall he could in haste, the Avatar was riddled with stone when the successive shot broke through, knocking him back.

Zuko bit back a curse and repeated the technique and dove to the side when the next attack came. Barrier after barrier was shattered by the assassin's bending, comet-enhanced explosions tearing through the landscape in effort to snuff out the Avatar.

As he skated around the battleground on a ball of air reminded himself to thank Aang for his instruction, barely keeping himself out of the next blast radius. But even with the added mobility, the assassin remained fixed on him.

 _How is he keeping up with me?_ Zuko wondered.

Gaining some elevation by running up the side of a building, the Avatar slammed into the ground, sending out a shockwave that threw the assassin off balance, rising back up on jut of stone amidst a moat of lava as he fired off a jet of fire.

His assailant blasted his platform just as Zuko flipped off of it, landing next the other man, kicking out at his torso. When his foe raised his metal arm to block, Zuko reached out to crumple the prosthetic, then the man pulled back, dodging the fireballs the Avatar sent his way.

Following up on that, Zuko tossed the lava like a blanket, forcing the assassin to retreat some more, who then wheeled around, blasting the building next to Zuko, throwing him off of his feet and taking out the adjacent buildings.

Shrapnel rained all around them, striking the assassin's head. Stumbling around, he shook his head, hoping to clear his vision as he reacquired his target. In the lapse of activity, the Avatar got back to his feet, swords out and swinging.

On reflex and without thinking, when he saw his target charging in, the assassin took in another breath, priming his abilities. Crackling rippled off the man, his powers backfiring, the corona of comet-enhanced fire enveloping the Avatar as well as himself.

Knocked pot over teakettle, Zuko crashed into the nearest rock formation, dead to the world as his clothes smoldered.

[-]

Aang was meditating on the roof when the sky turned red.

"It's starting."

A small part of him could feel the effects, even if he himself could not take advantage of them. Momo squirmed and chittered excitedly, transfixed on the comet as it came into view.

"How do you think Zuko's doing?" he asked, stroking the lemur's fur.

Hopping down to ground level, he found the others resting from their efforts until Toph's ears perked up at some distant disturbance.

"Uh, guys? Do you hear that?" she asked.

For a moment, the others stared at the earthbender before fire engulfed the skyline behind them in roaring blazes far larger than any they had ever seen.

"Did it sound anything like that?" Sokka asked.

Suki was on her feet, ready for battle. "What is it?"

"War balloons!" He pointed to the sky.

The rest of the Kyoshi Warriors were out with weapons at the ready, though a couple nearly dropped them when they saw the sight that met them.

"We wouldn't happen to have a plan for this, would we?" one asked.

"We need to get in the air first," Aang said, already on Appa's back. Sokka and Toph soon joined him, even without the saddle.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked.

"We need to get them out of the sky before they destroy everything," Sokka answered. "Be ready to deal with the crash sites."

Leaving Suki and Katara in charge, Aang urged the sky bison upward.

"Yip-yip, buddy!"

In the air, they could see as fire streaked from the town, the citizens retaliating against the surprise attack by their own people.

Sokka's expression hardened. "We better hurry."

[-]

Iroh narrowed his eyes at the destruction before him. "All my years, I had thought I would conquer Ba Sing Se. Now I stand as one of its protectors, taking it back from the Fire Nation."

"It appears your suspicions were well founded, Iroh," Pakku said

The old general nodded grimly and stepped out into the streets with his fellows. To his left and right were members of the Order of the White Lotus. All around them was Ba Sing Se.

And the city was on fire.

[-]

"Everyone, get inside!" Jin shouted as she herded another family into the basement before the adjacent street burst into flames. Fires raged out of control as Fire Nation tanks rolled through the neighborhood, torching everything in sight, accompanied by a legion of firebenders who did the same.

It was one of those who spotted her when a pair of hook swords caught the man's arms, pulling them skyward, directing the blast away from the city, followed by the crook meeting the man's throat. Her savior snarled like a beast, he jumped from target to target, slashing, screaming as he cut down every Fire Nation soldier he got his hands on. Jin didn't watch any longer, retreating to the relative safety underground as a firestorm enveloped the battlefield.

Before the hatch slammed shut, in the distance, she could hear more clashes, the war resumed in the heart of Ba Sing Se.

 **A/N: Only one more chapter left for Book Three, which will be released in the next day or so.**


	40. The Avatar and the Fire Lord

Zuko's eyes snapped open. Pushing himself off the ground, he spied the Comet streaking through the sky. He began dusting himself off and checking himself for injuries. Despite the damage done to his clothes, missing most of his shirt and a boot, there was nothing serious to worry about.

 _How long was I out?_ he thought.

 _"Less than an hour,"_ Blue answered.

Shaking his head, Zuko surveyed his surroundings. The block had been devastated in the explosion, and a massive crater was left behind where the assassin had last stood. Remnants still in his hands, Zuko's swords had been broken in the fight, the hilts being the most solidly intact parts, as the rest was practically shattered and scattered across the street.

 _"You're going to have to fix that."_

"That can wait until later."

 _"Yeah, well, hold onto them for a minute."_

Before Zuko could question it, he felt the power from the hilts surge into him.

"What was that?"

 _"Later. You have a job to finish. What I gave you will help get you there."_

Images of flying through the sky filled Zuko's vision before he leapt into the air in a burst of static, each jump closing the gap between him and his destination by miles.

[-]

Drifting closer to the flight of balloons, Aang turned back to the passengers.

"What's the plan, Sokka?" he asked.

Looking up from Appa's back, Sokka could see Toph holding on for dear life, a sentiment that he actually shared, even if it was temporarily displaced.

"Get us to one of the balloons on the end," he ordered. "I have an idea. Toph, we're putting your talents to use here. As soon as we land, we're hitting the steering mechanism."

Appa swooped down, depositing the two passengers on top. Toph let out a deep breath.

"That's better," she sighed. "Riding Appa bareback is terrifying."

Sokka looked up at Aang. "Keep close. We're probably going to need a quick pick-up once this gets started."

"Got it." Appa carried the monk upward, leaving the duo to their work.

Towards the tail end, Sokka observed the flight pattern.

"Toph, bend the rudder into the turning position. We want it to make a hard right."

"Aye-aye, Captain Boomerang!" She spat on her hands and started tugging away at the metal. Sokka winced at the sound of screeching metal and braced himself for the abrupt turn and the crash that soon followed.

"Okay, let's run!"

Plunging over the side, Sokka slowed their descent with his sword until they were caught by Appa. Toph and Sokka sat up, panting from the ride down.

"That was a thing," Toph muttered, reattaching herself to Appa's back.

Sokka climbed up next to Aang. "Now that that's over, let's see if we can steer the remainder away from the town."

[-]

The Fire Nation capitol, like the rest of the surrounding terrain, was bathed in the red light of the comet, the aged city taking on a haunted glow. Nervous apprehension settled on the populous, even if they did not know the exact reasons.

Clearing the outer wall, Zuko dropped and landed outside the palace grounds, cracking the ground beneath him. Staring down the guards, he drew to full height. The guards all quivered beneath his gaze and the oppressive aura weighing on them when Zuko issued his ultimatum.

"One warning:" he said, "leave now or die."

The city guards broke and ran in all haste. The Imperial Firebenders on the other hand, the few present, attacked, drawing on the power of Sozin's Comet.

Evading the blasts, Zuko slapped them all out of the way with a blast of wind and proceeded to kick down the front gates. The moment he passed the threshold, he was beset by Azula's minions. Imperial Firebenders, Dai Li agents, fanatical servants and soldiers attacked relentlessly as he plowed through them all, marching his way through front door.

More guards awaited. More guards attacked. More guards were cut through, swatted aside, crushed underfoot, or scattered to the wind as they fled his presence until the path before and after him were quiet.

Zuko strode down the hall, stopping to look at the murals depicting the past Fire Lords. His forebearers, surrounded by representations of their achievements, looked down on him, as if judging his actions. He stopped briefly at the last completed image, scowling back at his father's visage.

"This is your legacy, father," Zuko sneered. "A family broken, your children killing each other. I hope you're proud of yourself."

Continuing on his way, he spared only a passing glance at the place his sister's mural would occupy.

Reaching the throne room, he found Ty Lee waiting outside. She stood tall, shoulders rolled back and eyes focused on him as he approached.

"You know why I'm here, Ty Lee," Zuko said, firmly. "Step aside."

"I won't," she answered. "I can't." Ty Lee bit her lip and looked aside. Slight tremors coursed her body, yet she remained steadfast.

"Ty Lee, please," he reiterated, softer than before.

The girl looked like she was about to relent, or flee, when she regained her resolve.

"This is your fault!" she condemned, positively venomous. Even so, Zuko did not flinch at the accusation.

"You're right. It is my fault, but only to a point. Unfortunately, I have a job to do. Let me through so I can finish this."

Nodding, Ty Lee hesitantly stepped aside. As Zuko passed, he rested a hand on her shoulder.

"For what it's worth," he said softly, "I wish it hadn't come to this. Now go. I can't guarantee your safety if you elect to remain this close."

With a quick bow, Ty Lee ran off, glancing back once more than disappearing.

Exhaling sharply, Zuko, metalbending the doors open, walked into the throne room.

Blue flames, barely restrained, lit the room with an ominous intensity. Azula sat rigidly on the throne, facing the door with apparent stoicism. Bandages were wrapped around her eyes, but her head tilted to look directly at him.

"Hello, traitor," Azula said condescendingly. "I see Ty Lee didn't have the willingness to lay down her life for her Fire Lord. I guess I'll have to punish her after I deal with you."

"Azula, enough with this madness. This is the last warning I am giving you."

"Oh, I know."

With a breath, Azula extinguished the flames surrounding the room. Immediately, a bolt of lightning flicked out at the Avatar. Effortlessly, he redirected it back at his sister, but she had already moved and was flinging a stream of fire out. Intense blasts of white fire melted away the stone where Zuko had stood moments before.

Zuko stomped the ground, shifting the floor up. Azula leaped into the rafters, showering her brother with fire. Weaving around, Zuko glided to the other side of the room, deflecting the assault whilst countering with waterbending. When the assault stopped, Zuko generated a small flame for seeing.

"Try as you might, Zuzu, but you're blind in the dark. I, on the other hand, can see you as plain as day."

Zuko remained silent, eying the darkness. He could make his way easily enough, but not in enough detail to track her properly track her by sight.

"Really, I should thank you. If you hadn't tried to blind me, I wouldn't have gained this power."

Azula flew out of the shadows, striking at Zuko. He ducked under her, and swept his legs underneath her, but she jumped back up, thrusting her finger at him. Blowing the flames away with a gust of wind, Zuko lunged at her, but she jetted out of his reach. In the darkness, the two siblings lashed out at each other, bursts of flame lighting up the room, burning against the aged architecture. Azula hopped, flipped, and jumped around the room, never staying in one place long enough for Zuko to catch her.

 _How is she doing that?_ Zuko hastily reasoned. _She's supposed to be blind, and she hasn't taken the wrappings from her face. Toph can see because of earthbending. Could Azula have invented a firebending equivalent?_

Zuko dropped to the ground and spun a wall of fire around himself, spreading it through the room.

"That isn't going to work, Zuzu."

Azula landed next to him, preparing to hit him with a bolt of lightning. Leaning to the side, Zuko redirected the bolt and grabbed her arm, pulling her into a grapple. Like an eel-gull, she slipped out of his grip and kicked out at him.

While he blocked, she jumped back up and blasted herself back into the rafters.

Shutting his eyes, Zuko felt the vibrations in the room. With some difficulty, he could "see" when she landed and left off again. Gathering some rock onto his feet, he jumped after Azula, clinging to the walls and skating along the surface. The two traded blows as they chased each other around the room, each using different methods to track each other.

"How long are you going to keep this up, Zuzu?" she taunted. "I thought you were going to kill me." She flipped back to the throne and charged a practical glob of fire, then released it towards her brother.

Zuko rolled out of the way and blasted her back, only for her to flip back out of view.

"I'm hoping you'll come off this insanity. Really, trying to kill me-"

Azula laughed. "You think I just went after you?"

A blast of fire lashed out. In the time it took Zuko to dispel it, Azula had relocated.

"You did such a good job at finding all the factories, but you missed enough, long enough that I was able to complete my plans."

The Avatar nearly froze. "What did you do?" he growled.

"Finishing what our ancestor began, Zuzu!"

Zuko's glare hardened. "So that's the path you've chosen."

"Here's a new trick for you!"

Instead of red flames, or even her typical blue, Azula's flames were dazzlingly white. Catching the assault, Zuko felt a wave of energy push him through the wall and into the courtyard.

Azula laughed madly as she kept up her offensive. Standing his ground, Zuko deflected the steady blast of fire, carefully keeping his breathing in check. Whipping his hands around, he took Azula's technique, reflecting and dispersing it away from himself, melting a portion of the courtyard. Whipping the substance around, he flicked the tendrils at Azula.

"I see you've gotten a new form of bending down," she quipped, dancing around the attacks.

Raising his hands, Zuko pulled up globs of magma and hurled them at his sister. Blasting outward, she neutralized the bits and shoved the rest in a wave spreading out from her.

Melting the ground, he threw it into the air in a thick carpet. When Azula blasted it apart, Zuko flew through the split, drilling at her with stone-clad fists. The Fire Lord ducked away and launched herself into the air, scouring the ground she and her foe had once occupied.

"I will own the whole of the world, Zuzu, even if it's nothing but ashes and glass."

When she circled around, she dove in, streaking across the grounds like the comet that was empowering her, Zuko struck out with his palm, igniting the air around the both of them.

 _How about a new trick of my own,_ he thought. He only hoped his physical resistance would hold up against a comet enhanced technique.

Splitting positive and negative energies on his open hand, Zuko forced them back together and pushed the blast outward. Azula saw the prepatory moves and threw herself aside to avoid a potential lightning blast, but failed to anticipate a deliberately poor execution of lightningbending. Thrown head over heels, she crumpled into the courtyard.

A quick gust of wind cleared the smoke, giving Zuko a clear view of his target. He ensnared her limbs and spread them apart. Still dazed from the explosion, Azula did not try to ward her brother away as he approached. That did not keep her from panicking.

She blasted fire out, then ripped her hands and feet free, heedless of the damage done to said appendages. Regaining sight of the Avatar, she incinerated the air between them, desperately trying to keep him away as she tried to flee.

Flipping around, Zuko deflected the burst of heat, illuminating a little of the world in a way he had never seen before, the spectrum of temperatures. More importantly, he could clearly see the fire burning brightly at Azula's heart.

Anticipating her next move, Zuko moved her landing spot and clamped her hands and feet down before she could recover, sliding her backwards to the edge of the arena and pinned her to the pillar.

The Fire Lord regained her bearings, quickly and frantically firebending despite the fact that her hands and feet had been crushed, then resorting to breathing fire to keep Zuko back. The Avatar waded through the flames, bending them around himself until he rested a hand on his sister's chest.

"I'm sorry," he said.

Azula screamed as her inner fire burned wildly out of control, no matter how hard she tried to hold her demise at bay. Closing his eyes, Zuko tuned out his sister's voice as it died out, keeping an even flow of energy until the manipulated source sputtered out and died with its owner.

[-]

Noren looked out window into the sky, the ominous red fading to the softer colors of sunset. Behind him, his wife and daughter were huddled together, ready to make for the basement, but that was no longer needed.

"It's over," he announced. "We're safe, now."

"Mama, why are you crying?" Kiyi asked.

"Oh?" Noriko touched her face, tracing the line of tears. "I…I don't know."

[-]

Alone in the courtyard, every building around him scorched to ruin. Guards stormed through the ruins, stopping at the clearing when they saw the Avatar kneeling near a pile of ashes, head bowed and shoulders slumped.

"You," Zuko pointed at the captain. "Inform the highest ranking officer that he is to restore the peace. If he fails to comply, I will find a replacement that will. Do you understand?"

The captain nodded quickly.

"Good. Now I have to clean up the rest of this mess." The Avatar disappeared from view, air bursting in his wake.

Zuko hit the beaches of the Fire Nation colonies, sand bursting at his impact. Fires burned out of control. His eyes flashed with light, and he carried the tide with him, dousing the flames before him and began raining water over the town.

 _This is far from over,_ he thought.

"What did we do to deserve this?" he heard someone whimper.

Rather than answer, Zuko grit his teeth and launched him into the air again, anger fueling each jump he made as he headed for the next town.

When he arrived, he made for the center of activity, landing just outside the walls of the city. The Kyoshi Warriors posted out front, few as they were, raised their guard and challenged him, surprised by his sudden landing.

"Halt!"

"Stand down," Zuko answered. "It's me."

Both girls relaxed a little, but held fast. "Zuko?!"

The older girl glared at him. "What is the meaning of this treachery?"

He cut her off before she could gain any momentum. "I've already taken care of the matter. Permanently." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Ladies, I've had a difficult and emotional day, which shows no signs of being over any time soon, so unless you want to join my sister, please ease up."

"You mean…"

"Fire Lord Azula is dead." No emotion accompanied the words. "Now, where are the others?"

"They're in town helping out," Suki answered. She stepped into view, more frazzled than Zuko had ever remembered seeing her. "How did you get here so fast?"

"Later. If you say everyone else is in town, I should go and help them."

He brushed past them and through the gates when Suki called after him.

"Zuko."

He stopped momentarily for her to catch up.

"Take it easy on them," she said, nodding to the warriors. "It's…been rough."

He nodded numbly, but said nothing else as he made his way through town, following the crowds, he made his way to the manor everyone appeared to be working out of.

Inside, it was one part infirmary, another part command center. The wounded were being treated off in one of the wings, but the casualties had spilled out into the main foyer.

"Zuko?"

He turned to the sound of his name. "Katara. How are things here."

The girl grimaced. "Grim, but…we're managing. Mostly. Come on, I'll take you to Sokka."

They turned into the next room, where Sokka was hunched over a map of the area. Next to him was a bedraggled young man who looked maybe a year younger, standing sharply at attention as he listened to what the other teen was saying.

"Get a team to head up the eastern road, and keep going until you find someplace unaffected by this. Any supplies they can spare, any people they can send, get them over here as soon as possible."

Katara took her leave and when the messenger went out to carry the orders, Sokka ran his hand over his face before he finally noticed that Zuko was in the room with him. He was about to say something when Zuko cut him off.

"How bad is it?" he asked.

Sokka crossed his arms. "Not really sure. Shortly after the Comet showed up, the attack began, we took out the war balloons, but the crashes started some fires in the forests, and they still hit the far side of the town. We haven't gotten word from the neighboring towns and villages, yet."

"Who did we lose?"

Sokka looked down, shoulders sagging as he rested his hands on the table.

"We haven't found many survivors in the neighborhoods they hit. Beyond that, it's mostly been fire-related injuries, even when we started rounding up the crash survivors. Still, Team Avatar is still at full strength around here."

"I ran into Katara and Suki. Where's everyone else?"

"Toph's aiding the fire teams right now. I'm glad we have her here, otherwise I don't think we could have taken out all the war balloons before they destroyed the town."

"What about Aang?"

"He moved up the coast with Appa to the next town. Hopefully we can get a better picture of the surrounding area, maybe figure out a way to work together through this mess." He let out a quick breath and turned to Zuko. "So, what happened anyway? I thought the war was over."

Zuko crossed his arms and looked outside. "Azula happened."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised." Sokka leaned back over the table. "But why would she just threw away peace so quickly."

"I underestimated the effect our father's presence had on her after all these years, and what his sudden absence might do to her as a result." A fire flared in the distance. "She won't be troubling us any further."

Sokka looked up from the map. "Oh."

"So now we have to deal with the fallout from this. I can only hope that we can salvage the peace."

[-]

Aang looked out over the city of Ba Sing Se. Days after the Comet's passing, plumes of smoke still ran where fires were still burning out, not even the showers that swept in were sufficient to smother them all entirely. Massive black scars stretched over entire dozens, hundreds of city blocks like horrid scars, telling the tale of lives lost, all because of one girl's spite.

All because he reasoned with Zuko to spare his sister's life.

"I'm sorry." Looking down on the city one last time, he climbed on Appa. "Yip yip."

END OF BOOK THREE

 **A/N: 131 Reviews, 221 Followers, 157 Favorites, and over 47,000 hits across 40 chapters and over** _ **100,000**_ **words. Thank you for the support, leave questions in reviews or PMs, and I'll see you in Book Four.**


	41. Book Four: Oncoming Storms

**A/N: *Kicks open coffin* I liiiiive! Now back to our (sort of) regularly scheduled program.**

 **[-]**

 **Book Four: Freedom**

The Promise

Chapter Forty-One

Hammer clanged against anvil, striking red-hot metal into shape in a steady rhythm.

At Blue's behest and for his own peace of mind, Zuko had made a detour from the restoration effort to make another sword. The smithy was empty, save for him, and the heat did much to keep the autumn morning chill at bay while he worked. A peaceful morning.

Zuko tried not to snort. _Peace._

The Hundred Years War had been brought to an end, at least nominally speaking. Tensions were still high in the wake of Azula's Blitz, but had been brought to an impasse. Neither side really possessed the means to spare for continuing the fight in earnest, nor was there any interest, unless there was no other option.

Seven months had passed since then, and the holding pattern had continued.

Zuko dunked the blades in the quenching oil, holding them under as the liquid churned amidst the heat.

"Almost there."

The pieces in his hands were not intended as exact replications of his original weapons, starting with his using a different alloy. Additionally, on a hunch, Zuko began channeling some of his energy through the manufacturing process. It felt natural, power flowing into the material as he went, reinforced with each strike.

Once everything was set, he exhaled slowly and slung the weapons back into their normal place.

"That takes care of that," he murmured under his breath. It did feel better to have the familiar presence on his person again.

 _"It took you long enough to pull that off. Things were getting all stuffy."_

 _Shut it,_ Zuko thought back. _And I've been trying to make time for this for months._

" _Whatever. Just take better care of this set."_

Mounting up on his ostrich horse, he rode west for the nearest port in preparation for the next order of business.

In the past months, Yu Dao had managed to recover beautifully. Where entire blocks had been reduced to cinders and ashes, the locals had managed to rebuild. In some places, if you had not known what it was like before, you could hardly see that anything had happened.

 _If only the smell of smoke would go away,_ Zuko thought. The scent of fire and death still clung to the air, and even if it faded by the day, a certain shock clung to the atmosphere.

The docks were seeing an increase in traffic as of late, but today, only a single ship was to set sail from this port. A small vessel of a similar design to the one that had carried Zuko during his exile, updated, streamlined and improved by the passage of time and the combined workforce that could only be found in the old colonial region.

The crew itself was mishmash of nationalities, even up to the captain himself.

"Avatar Zuko," the captain hailed. Zuko inclined his head and dismounted, passing the reins to a dockhand.

"Is everything in order?" Zuko asked.

"Looks like it might rain, but it should hold off long enough for us to get underway."

Zuko briefly looked up to the skies. Clouds gathered in dark collections, but not enough to blot the skies entirely. A promised tempest, but not yet upon them.

"Then we better get a move on."

The trip was uneventful, the bulk of the storm being limited to the north and only spitting on them briefly and buffeting them with wind the entire way. Their destination, which soon appeared on the horizon, was expected to make up for what the storm failed to impart.

It was an otherwise uninhabited island, unless one counted the flocks of birds that roosted on the trees and steep cliffs. Most maps did not show the location, and those that did had never listed a name for it. Overall, it was one of the most average locations Zuko had ever been.

What made the island dangerous were the other visitors that had come.

On one side was a trio of Fire Navy warships, on another was the same number of Earth Kingdom vessels, and at the third point was a small fleet of Water Tribe boats that made up for number where they lacked in tonnage.

When Zuko had made landfall, the other entourages approached the meeting grounds, thankfully shored up against any inclement weather.

Interspersed in each group were people that the Avatar had met through his travels or had come to know through correspondence.

Iroh led the Fire Nation contingent, having found himself thrust into the role of leadership once more, and flanking him were the leading ministers and generals that had survived Azula's brief tenure as Fire Lord.

General Fong was among the representatives of the Earth Kingdom. Even if he had not had royal authority for the Black Sun invasion, his success and the virtue of being among the surviving generals of note had seen him elevated to a figure of significance in Earth military.

Unfortunately, others were in charge of the Earth Kingdom delegation, which were mostly bureaucrats. Those that had survived both the destruction of the palace and Azula's Blitz, at any rate. Lun, a weasel of a man, was functioning leader, but his expertise in managing a wounded animal like his current administration was invaluable.

All told, these were the best of their respective nations, and stood a chance to make some headway in their current predicament. Of course, that was if the stalemate held long enough to find a peaceful resolution. There were plenty of old animosity and bitter memories on both sides to reignite the conflict if things proceeded poorly.

Thankfully, he was not alone in keeping feathers unruffled, even if Iroh could be guaranteed to keep his calm. Both Water Tribes had arrived together, the chieftains aiding Zuko as an extra mediation force, or at least that was the intent.

For the meeting itself, there was the initial exchange of greetings, opening comments, and then it was straight on to business, much of which was rehashing things discussed through messages beforehand. As for Zuko's sanity, everyone stayed on the right side of civility, nothing more than thinly veiled barbs exchanged.

That did mean things were perfectly smooth sailing.

"What is keeping an official Peace Treaty from being worked on?" Arnook asked.

As recent addition to the talks, the Northern Water Tribe chieftain was still being brought up to speed on how the talks were proceeding.

"As we have said before, the status of the Earth King is still unknown. To proceed without his backing would be both grievous and insulting."

"And this precludes even drafting a treaty?"

"While these talks indicate the good will of all involved, we have reached the limits of our current diplomatic capacities. Until our monarch is secured, we have nothing to discuss."

"And if he is dead?"

"Then we await word of his demise. Besides, I'm sure you're scrambling to replace your precious Fire Lord for the third time."

The barb failed to crack the stoicism of the Fire Nation delegation.

"A successor is forthcoming," Iroh answered, courteous as ever. "We anticipate a resolution by the end of the week."

For the Earth Kingdom, this revelation as less than pleasing. Lun leaned back into his chair with a sneer.

"Be that as it may, your forces still stationed within our borders are a source of concern. Some factions within the Earth Kingdom are growing…restless, a condition that continues to worsen by the day. As it stands, you are likely in a better position to conduct a search."

"I'll do it," said Zuko, rising to his feet. Everyone turned to young Avatar. "I will find the Earth King, dead or alive."

Everyone stared at Zuko, then looked amongst themselves. Lun rose and smirked.

"The Earth Kingdom appreciates the Avatar's direct intervention in this matter. For all of our sakes, I pray that you are successful in this endeavor."

Zuko nodded, but Lun was not finished.

"However, I must warn you that we can only maintain this impasse for only so long. If the Earth King is not found within the coming months, I fear that none of us will be able to stop the growing tide."

[-]

Zuko sighed as he navigated the Fire Nation palace, trailing after one of the servants.

After Sozin's Comet, the place had undergone extensive reconstruction and renovation. Apart from some of the outer reaches of the grounds, he could hardly recognize the place anymore. There were more windows for starters, which did much to alleviate the oppressive atmosphere, something Zuko had not really noticed until then.

Construction was still extensive, and it would take years yet to complete. Still, Zuko found himself grateful for the fallout of his battle with his sister. It made it harder to think about what had happened.

Unbidden, memories of the fight flashed through his mind. Zuko inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, banishing the thoughts for the moment as he arrived at Iroh's solar.

"General Iroh will be present shortly," the servant said, ushering him inside.

While some would consider the Dragon of the West's quarters opulent, Zuko knew that this was comparatively humble.

All in all, the room had taken on the characteristics of its master, so, unsurprisingly, despite the recent renovations, the smell of tea had already begun permeating into every corner of the room, some of which were occupied by potted plants. The desk was backed against a window that looked out over the capital, and in front of it was a small table, which had a tea set that looked like Iroh had gotten from Ba Sing Se, and some comfortable chairs surrounding it.

What Zuko was not expecting was one of the new ministers, waiting in one of those chairs.

"Minister Jushiro," Zuko said.

The man had already risen to greet him. "Avatar Zuko, please come in."

With many within the previous administration either dead, fled, exiled, or otherwise absent from court, the provisional government had had a time of it filling the vacant slots. One of the younger nominations was Jushiro.

"Where is my uncle?" Zuko asked.

"General Iroh is finishing a bit of business," Jushiro answered, gesturing to the seat across from him. "He will be here shortly, but time is proving to be against us in these days."

When Zuko found his seat, the minister continued.

"The armistice agreement is already at the brink of failing. Without a sitting Fire Lord, we can't agree to a proper peace treaty. The Earth King remaining at large is only delaying the inevitable."

"And where do I fit in all this?"

The minister tented his hands. "Your actions during both Black Sun and the Comet have deprived our people of leadership, Avatar Zuko. While there was a certain necessity to the latter, the former was less justifiable; many had their prospects ruined with Ozai's demise."

"Naturally. I'm sure plenty more had their prospects ruined with the cessation of hostilities, too. I'm not seeing what you're trying to get at."

The door swung open and the guard ushered General Iroh in. Zuko rose to greet him.

"Have you gotten to the key points?" Iroh asked.

The minister rose and bowed. "We were just about to when you came in."

"I see. Good to see you home, Zuko."

"Uncle."

The old man gave his nephew a hug.

"How was Ba Sing Se?" he asked.

"Still recovering," Zuko answered. "Though considering the extent of the damage, the rate of progress is impressive."

"Back to our previous business," the minster interjected. "Since his involvement in the invasion was minimal and his peacekeeping overtures during the Comet has done a great deal in rebuilding his public image, coupled with his strong involvement in the Harmony Restoration Movement, the provisional government has seen fit to back General Iroh for his coming ascension to Fire Lord."

Zuko was taken aback, but recovered and turned to his uncle. "Congratulations."

"There is one caveat to this." The minister added. Zuko braced for the follow-up.

"I'm listening."

"Iroh is advanced in years. Dispensing with the preamble, he needs an heir, and there is some concern with his ability to produce one, given his past history in the matter."

"Fire Lord Sozin sired Azulon before he was nearly one hundred."

"Yes, and that was something unheard of. I doubt you would be able to find another man anywhere in the world before or since that has been capable of doing the same. That is beside the point. Given that you're Ozai's son and his last surviving progeny, we're asking you to help us work around the issue, for continuity's sake."

"You're asking me to get married, aren't you?"

"Very astute. Yes, we're asking you to marry, produce a child, and help in stabilizing the Fire Nation."

Zuko repressed a groan. "I assume there is a little bit more to all of this, but go on."

"The crown will pass directly from Iroh to your oldest child, and any other legitimate children you sire will be retroactively adopted into the line of succession."

Sighing, Zuko rose and looked out the window and down that the city sprawling beneath them and the people going about their business.

"If this is going to help with restoring peace, I guess I don't have much of a choice. Is there anything else I need to know?"

"As Lun said, there are some who are becoming agitated with the continued presence of the Fire Nation in Earth Kingdom territory. We have been moving them out, but the process has been slow, and there have been reported of attacks on our convoys. There have also been rumors that these groups may be working towards escalating tensions."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised things have held together as long as they have."

"Something else that both sides need to consider is you," said Jushiro.

"How is my presence keeping peace?"

"After your displays in Ba Sing Se and here, your power is unquestionable."

 _Right,_ Zuko thought. _Vandalism streak._ He could hear Blue giggle in the back of his mind. Thankfully, Iroh was more diplomatic.

"And being the neutral arbiter in these troubling times is keeping many swords sheathed unless something tips the balance one way or the other."

"How long do you think the current state will hold?" Zuko asked.

"Half a year, at most," Iroh answered. "While I will hold out for hope as long as possible, if the Earth Kingdom decides to attack, I will do whatever I can to protect our people."

"In any case, the importance of finding the Earth King cannot be understated," Jushiro added. "And the sooner our other business can be accomplished, the sooner stability can be guaranteed."

Zuko bowed his head. "Right. No pressure."

 **A/N: Yup! I'm back.**

 **As is obvious, this book is going to be a great deal different from canon, and even who some of the other books have transpired for this story. Suffice to say, we are heading a bit off the reservation.**


	42. Where There's Smoke

Chapter Forty-Two: Where There's Smoke…

Toph sat on top of her property, staring out into the sky and watching birds fly by. It was a foreign experience, one that she was still trying to piece together the how of it all, especially because it had been bugging her since the Blitz.

Quite simply, she could see everyone in the compound. That wasn't the problem, if it could be called such; she was used to finding people through the vibration patterns she detected, but this was…different.

There was a whole new level of detail she had never been able to perceive before, and on top of the usual patterns of heartbeats and shifting bodies, she could spot little flickering lights drifting around like torches. This new sensation was overlaid on her other senses to the point that she could identify each individual by their unique signature at a range she was still testing out.

Momo, for example, had a rather simple, excited vibration, but there were no other lemurs to compare him to. She could probably home in on him, even if he had left town.

Humans were easier to read. Sokka's signature could be wild at times, but underneath all the bravado was a steady, sturdy foundation. Katara's aura was the opposite, a still and gentle surface with a broiling depth waiting for a reason to bubble to the surface. Suki's was shrouded in armor, guarded, but at the center was soft and gooey, like melting chocolate.

There were others she had gotten accustomed to, but really had not spent much time dwelling on, preferring to focus on teaching her students.

 _Speaking of which…_

"On your feet, lily-livers!" Toph shouted, jumping from the roof and pounding the ground with enough force to wake everyone one on the property, and probably all the neighbors if the flocks of birds taking wing were any indication.

While it was her home, her name being on any legal paperwork and everything, she was housing her students, the Kyoshi Warriors, and any Team Avatar members in the area, which was really just Sokka, Suki, Katara, herself. And Momo.

No one should ever forget Momo.

The motley crowd assembled in the courtyard before their teacher "aided" them in that matter. Toph loved getting that reaction, watching them all scramble into formation.

Some of them she had located prior to the Blitz, usually in emotionally intense situations. After word got out of her exploits during the invasion, she had spent days sorting through scads of prospects eager to learn, the ones before her being the only ones to pass all of her tests. A baker's dozen, all told.

 _And that's on top of the original trio_ , Toph thought.

Ho Tun, Penga, and the Dark One (Toph had refused any further attempts at belting out the boy's actual name, finding it not worth the effort for either party) had been forced into the role of instructors, having already managed to grasp of basics of metalbending.

 _Nothing quite like having your life on the line to "motivate" the learning curve._

Banishing that thought, Toph ran the students through the drills and forms she had been developing and refining. About halfway through, she heard armor and weapons clinking into the dojo.

"Looking good out there," Sokka hollered.

"Water break, lily-livers!" Toph called out, then turned to the Water Tribe warrior. "Done with patrols already, Sokka?"

"Yeah, things look like they're finally settling down."

During their stay in Yu Dao, Sokka had decided to aid the local guard alongside the Kyoshi Warriors. In order to project an official role and presence, he had wound up with a set of armor, even if he still wore his normal clothes underneath, and he still carried his normal arsenal on top of it, from his boomerang to his sword. He even acquired one of the fans the Kyoshi Warriors used.

"Dinner is almost ready," Katara called out from the house.

"Thanks, Sugar Queen!"

Toph was grateful for the other girl's presence. Her impressive healing abilities had seen immense improvements during the city's recovery process, drastically increasing the level of injury she was able to treat. After the neighboring villages had gotten back on their feet, Toph had her help with injuries that came through the training process. And without any outside prompting, Katara assumed control of the domestic end of running the place.

When Suki had asked why, the Water Tribe girl had said something about returning things to normal.

The usual herd gathered in for dinner at the table, and as usual, the students grabbed their serving and left as quickly as possible, choosing to eat in the courtyard rather than linger in the presence of Sifu Toph a minute longer than absolutely required. The Trainer Trio took over one end of the table to the right over their teacher, the Kyoshi Warriors present scattered around to the left, and Sokka sat to her left, opposite of his girlfriend.

"Where's the chef?" Penga asked.

At that moment, Katara walked in with another dish to compliment the stew. She had retained the hairstyle she had picked up in the Fire Nation, though she had adapted it with more traditional Water Tribe garb. In a way, it fit the cultural stewing pot that was Yu Dao.

"I see some of you are actually waiting for once," Katara said.

Sokka paused, spoon unapologetically shoved into his mouth. "This is really good," he said. "Way better than what's being served in the barracks."

"I modified an old Fire Nation recipe I found," Katara replied.

"I wonder how Zuko would like it," said Suki.

"A shame he isn't here," Toph added.

Sokka swallowed and threw in his two cents. "And Aang."

Katara froze and the conversation ground to a sudden halt. A quick elbow to the ribs let the Water Tribe warrior know how well his comment was received.

"Not the 'A' word, Smarty-Pants," Toph hissed, then glanced over at Katara, whose arms had gone slack, eyes staring off into nothing. The earthbender shot a nasty look at Sokka, who threw his hands up in surrender and edged away, then walked over to Katara, lightly punching her in the shoulder, breaking her stupor. "He'll be back, Sugar Queen."

Katara forced a smile. "I know."

Awkwardly, conversation began to move along again. Suki stared at her for a moment.

"You know what?" she said. "You've been cooped up too long." Rounding the table, she took Katara by the arm and began leading her out of the dining room. "We're going for a walk. You want to come, Toph?"

Toph shrugged. "Sure, why not."

"I need to clean the dishes-" Katara began to protest.

"I'll get the lily-livers to do that." The earthbender glanced over to Ho Tun. "Make sure it gets done," she said, her tone implying the consequences. She tossed on top of the rest and caught up to them. "Let's go."

The three of them made their way down the main drag, where the stores were beginning to wind down for the night.

"Now," Suki said, "What's bothering you? I know you're trying to distract yourself, but you've been running yourself ragged lately."

After a moment, Katara sighed. "It's Aang. It's been months since we've seen him last."

"Zuko was in town not too long ago. If anyone would know what happened to Aang, he would be the first. You don't think he would hold that information out on us, do you?"

Toph snorted. "Spark's vaunted 'honor' would compel him to tell us in person," she said, then she looked at Katara. "He can take care himself. Plus, he's got Appa." The earthbender crossed her arms behind her head. "Ah…I miss that lump of fur."

Suki smiled. "You miss him. Personally, I mean."

Katara opened her mouth to answer when a scream echoed from down the road.

Without a second thought, the three of them ran towards the disturbance, navigating some of the fleeing townspeople. Through the crowd, they could watch the scene unfold.

One of the stands had been broken apart, the old man who ran it sprawled on the ground nearby, edging away from his assailant, who loomed over him.

Garbed in a ragged cloak, his head and face were obscured by masked helm, shaped into a battered, snarling face. Smoke wafted out from behind the mask, billowing around the figure into thick clouds. His clothes mixed between loose and tightly bound, holes in the fabric revealing bandages wrapping almost everything underneath like a mummy, everything except the eyes, which almost glowed from his shadowed face.

With speed that belied his age, the elderly man was back on his feet and staring down his assailant, even though he was trembling in the face of the masked man, hands raised in anticipation of a fight, his stance implying him to be a firebender. The masked man lazily sauntered towards the old man, completely unhurried by the display of defiance.

"Clear the way!" Suki shouted.

The assailant's gait suddenly shifted from limp and lazy, to a dead sprint like lightning, dodging a quick jet of flames, then wrapping his hands around his prey's neck and hoisting him up into the air, holding him up for a short while, then slamming him into the ground.

Toph and Suki were almost on him when his head twisting suddenly in their direction, then launched himself upward and into the opposite direction, slamming his fists together.

A cloud of smoke descended onto them. Toph quickly homed in on him again as he began to flee towards the edge of town.

Sokka slid out in front of him, swinging his Space Sword at his chest. Instead, the fleeing man dropped to his knees, sliding underneath the swing and launching himself back in his original direction.

Not missing a beat, Sokka chucked his club, clipping the man in the shoulder, but he hardly flinched from the impact, making for the treeline.

Whoever this guy was, he was moving fast. Toph was outpacing everyone and he still had a solid lead on her. Not that it was difficult to follow him. It was like watching a volcano simmer, a cauldron of rage racing away from her.

 _Where are you going?_

Once they were in the forest, the assailant took to the trees, weaving through the canopy with practiced ease. Even with the crazy maneuvering, Toph was still tailing him, sliding along the ground underneath the branches he was using, following him back out into the foothills on the outskirts of town.

Chasing him up the slope, she saw him leap into the air, briefly disappearing from her sight as she reached the top.

Toph spied the smoke breather standing on the next ridge over. When she was about to continue the chase, energy cackled off of him just as he slammed a palm into the ground. Thunder rumbled through the earth, the shockwave jamming her senses for a moment and partially deafening her long enough for him to make an escape.

While she was recovering from the blast, Suki caught up to her.

"He got away," Toph said. "Disappeared in the explosion."

The Kyoshi Warrior frowned. "We best get back to town."

Sokka had already taken charge of the crime scene and investigation. He was stooped over the body of the victim, observing as it was cleaned. When he spotted Toph, he jogged over to her.

"He got away?" he asked.

"Yeah," Toph replied.

He frowned, then back at the body behind him. "Might have been for the best, at least for now. I'm guessing our new friend is a firebender. His victim has burns where he was grabbed. The handprint was practically branded into his skin, and I was seeing signs of burns deeper in." Seeing that the body was carried away, he signaled the other guards to disperse the crowd. "Come on. You can tell the mayor what you saw when I report in. He'll want to know."

On the way over, Sokka continued mulling the happenings over, trailing behind the others.

"What've you got, Boomerang?" Toph asked.

"I know the sharp edge hit him," Sokka replied. "I even saw it cut into his cloak. But he hardly reacted. Either he's wearing armor, he can't feel any pain, or it wasn't human."

"Spirit?" Suki asked.

Sokka shook his head. "Doubt it. Most of the Spirits we've encounters have something about them that kind shouts 'I'm a spirit'."

Toph thought about it for a minute. "If it was a spiritual disturbance, shouldn't have it been more general in who it targeted?"

"Mostly," said Katara. "But most of our encounters have been with the likes of Hei Bai and the Moon and Ocean spirits."

"And neither of our spiritual gurus are here to consult," Sokka added, sinking back into deep thought. "Whatever this was, they wanted this to be seen." Everyone looked at Sokka, waiting for an explanation. "He avoided plenty of other targets to get to where we found him and we haven't found any other victims of his. He could have picked up targets of opportunity at night or in the shadows, but he chose to make his attack while it was still day, and in one of the most crowded places in town."

Katara pondered their findings a bit longer. "But if he wanted to be seen, what else does he have planned?"

Silence reigned the remainder of the walk to the mayor's house.

[-]

Mayor Morishita was a large man of Fire Nation descent. Having been the man in charge of Yu Dao for the better portion of his life, he had a solid grasp on the running of the city and a fervent dedication to its safety, keen eyes watching the young people in front of him as they relayed what had happened.

After Toph had recounted her own perspective, she idly listed as Sokka recounted the details he gleaned from the scene of the crime, only returning to focus when he was wrapping it up.

"…And until he decides to attack again, we have no way of tracking him."

Morishita inclined his head. "Thank you, Sokka. Other towns have had similar reports, but last we knew, he had been heading further south. That was before he suddenly vanished, little more than a month ago. If this is indeed the same person, the men of the watch should be very cautious."

"Is there anyone specific he might attack?" Sokka asked.

"Nearly all of his victims have been colonials, as the first reports started at colonial borders. There was a camp where Fire Nation prisoners were being kept that appeared to be his work, a massacre, but there was nothing conclusive connecting him to it."

Sokka looked at the maps as the mayor continued talking.

"No one has heard anything of him. No sightings, no attacks." The mayor paused and took a deep breath. The prevailing opinion is that this renegade is a radical who wants to forcibly disband the colonies."

Toph raised an eyebrow. "Even though he's a firebender?" she asked.

The mayor nodded, stroking his beard. "My own family is of mixed national descent. It is possible that some from the newer colonies might have been taken in by local resistance movements. For what purpose, I can only guess."

"Infiltrators?" Toph offered. "I guess the war would have put a damper on their employment prospects."

"Any chance you could show us those reports?" asked Sokka.

"I will have them compiled," Morishita answered. "Come by tomorrow, and we can review them together."

"Thank you, sir." Sokka bowed, and followed the others out of the room.

At the edge of her senses, Toph noticed the mayor's daughter watching them intently.

 **A/N: A new threat has emerged to threaten peace. Like Hama, this foe is scaled up to match the new powers, abilities, and approaches our heroes now possess, and to take up the empty slot since every other major villain introduced has been offed at some point (Ozai, Azula, Zhao, Hama, Long Feng…). In addition to this new threat, we get some of the comic characters, most of whom will be playing a slightly different role than in canon.**

 **Onto other matters, many of the characters are seeing some alterations to their wardrobe, and alas, my artistic talents outside of literature are still in the beginner stages, and even though I seek to rectify this, my progress is too slow to properly capture what is in my mind's eye at the moment. In the meantime, I'll stick with what I know.**

 **Sokka was imagined resembling a samurai sort, wearing armor over his normal styles, which are still predominately blue. Nothing too heavy, but definitely more than he is typically wearing. Toph and Katara have transitioned into their post-canon comic appearances (whether they keep it is up in the air), while Suki and the other Kyoshi Warriors are back in their traditional uniforms. The next two chapters will have more changes.**

 **And for the curious, Toph isn't able to see as much as her Daredevil-esque vision has seen an increased boost to range and detail, tacked with a budding spiritual sense. More to come on that at a later date..**

 **For the next chapter, we will catch up to what Aang has been doing, and where he intends to go next, and he and Appa most certainly won't be going alone. You have my guarantee.**


	43. Found Among Ashes

Chapter Forty-Three: Found Among Ashes

Aang moved through the town slowly, hood drawn over his head, dark brown robes covering his vestments. His staff was with Appa, who he had left outside of town while he got supplies.

It also gave him the opportunity to pick up on local gossip. Of course, the reliability of such a means of intelligence varied.

"They say the Earth King's been found."

"I thought they just crowned his successor?"

"Which one? Weren't most of the line of succession knocked out in Ba Sing Se?"

Aang tuned out that conversation. _If the Earth King had been found, there would be an official notice._

"You hear about that murderer who's making his way this direction?"

"Are you kidding? He up and disappeared a month ago. No one's seen 'im."

 _It sounds like that monster is back in action._ After the mess back east, he had been keeping track of the Renegade. He hoped it would not have to come to it, but he wanted to be informed in case he had to intervene if he attacked.

"You hear? The Avatar was in the next town over."

Aang froze.

"Don't believe it." The man speaking took a swig from a water skin. "Last I heard he was still sorting that mess out back west. Or in Ba Sing Se."

"Which one was it? Ba Sing Se or out west?"

"One of the two. I don't know!"

The first man interrupted. "But they say his Bison was there! Surely it's him."

Having heard enough, and spurred by a sudden desire to be elsewhere, Aang inhaled and began to walk away.

"That's ridiculous," an old woman quibbled. "The Avatar is Fire Nation folk."

Another one from that bunch suddenly jumped up and blurted out, "I swear, Air Nomads are walking among us!" His friends stared at him, then laughed.

Purchasing what he needed from the store, he exited and made for the most discrete way out of town. He was about halfway there when he saw something out of the corner of his eye, a man following someone into an alley.

Not really knowing what prompted him to do so, he followed and flattened himself along the wall, listening in on what was being said.

"What are you doing out so late, little lady?" a gruff voice demanded.

"None of your business," a girl answered, unevenly. "Leave me alone."

Daring to poke his head around the corner, he saw the girl try to push her way past them, but the leader shoved her back against the wall, his friends closing the gaps around her.

Aang was already moving towards them, quickly and quietly setting down his groceries out of sight. No one really paying him any attention as he approached, so absorbed in their current mark.

"Oh, there's no need to be so harsh," the leader said.

The girl looked up, presumably glaring. "Back. Off."

"Really-"

When the leader reached out to touch her, the thugs began dropping like flies, their intended prey turning the tables on them. By the time Aang had gotten close, every last one of them had been brought down by a multitude of nerve strikes. Amidst the groaning and writhing carpet of bodies, she dropped her knees. Hood thrown off in the fighting, Aang got a good look at the young woman.

Her hair had been cut, ending just beneath her chin, and her face was haggard, signs of malnourishment and sleep deprivation showing strongly on her face.

"Ty Lee?" he called out hesitantly.

The girl turned at the sound of her name, staring at the airbender for a long while, as if struggling to recognize him, but it wasn't hard to notice when she put the pieces together: she turned and bolted away.

Fast as she was, Aang was still faster and could navigate obstacles much more readily than an acrobat could. Even so, she led the monk on a merry chase over and through the streets as he caught up. The pursuit was quickly decided by a misstep that sent the girl crashing over the edge of the rooftop and back to earth.

Reaching out, Aang was able to snag her collar, but the girl's momentum dragged him with her. A blast of wind softened their impact and rolled them through the street. Aang righted himself and landed on his feet, but Ty Lee crashed into the dirt, bouncing along several feet to an inelegant stop.

The girl groaned and struggled to her knees, then slumped back down, all but dead to the world.

[-]

Ty Lee didn't know how long she had slept, or how long it had been since she slept, so the last time she had even had a blanket set off a number of warning bells.

Sitting up, she found herself in a cave, firelight illuminating mouth in the waxing light of dawn. The airbender sat cross-legged next to the fire, eyes closed. Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, Ty Lee sat herself up some more, looking for a possible escape.

"There's fresh water to your left," the airbender said, not opening his eyes. A quick inspection confirmed what he said. "You're dehydrated and starving. Drink some water, and I'll give you something to eat."

With more than a little trepidation, and a small amount of self-loathing at how much effort it took to take the cap off, she took a quick sip, then started sucking the water down, throat as parched as a desert.

"Take it easy," Aang cautioned. "You don't want to vomit it back up."

Ty Lee's vision began to swim, prompting her to lay back down.

"How long was I asleep?" she asked.

"Since I found you," Aang replied. "So, the entire night and most of the morning."

"Why did you help me?"

Aang scratched at the bare hints of stubble, making a mental note to shave soon.

"You were passed out," he replied. "It didn't feel right to leave you in that alley with those guys."

Staring at the roof of the cave, Ty Lee closed her eyes. "Thank you," she said softly, then rolled over and slipped back into a fitful sleep.

[-]

Aang watched as Ty Lee walked along the edges of the cave on unsteady legs. For someone who had been on the run since the Comet, she was in clear need of rest, and with the tension gone, fatigue settled in and left her bed-ridden for several days, some of it due to fever. When she was finally up to moving around, it was like watching a newborn deer learn to walk, and she relied heavily on propping herself along the walls for stability.

Still, much of her vitality had been restored, even if he could still see the edge of starvation lingering on her face. The dark circles under her eyes had faded to almost nothing, though the light of her eyes was still little more than embers, that far out look remaining.

Finally completing a lap around the cave, Ty Lee found her bedding, plopped down and shrank a little, tucking her legs up to her chest as she stared into nothingness.

"So, what are you doing out here? Why not wander the Fire Nation?"

"I didn't want to be killed."

 _A faster response than the last time,_ Aang thought. Progress was progress. He turned around, leaning on a nearby boulder, waiting for her to elaborate.

"I was part of Azula's personal guard during her time as Fire Lord. After she was…removed from power, I heard that many of her followers had wound up dead. There wasn't much left keeping me there."

"Really? Nothing?" Ty Lee shook her head. "What about Mai? Isn't she one of your friends?"

"I'm not sure where she is, and I'm not sure if she would help me now."

"No family? There's really no one?"

Ty Lee's face soured briefly, turning away. "You know Zuko and Mai, right?" she asked. "Did they ever tell you about their childhoods?"

"I know Zuko's. Mai was not really talkative with most of us. She seemed most content with Zuko, and later opened up to Toph."

"Well, it seems like a trend for Fire Nation nobility to mess up the lives of their children carried well beyond them. I grew up with six identical sisters, all of us were dressed similarly, had our hairs styled the same way, even our names sounded alike." Ty Lee sighed, laying back onto her bedroll. "So I ran. I ran so I wouldn't be part of a set. I joined the circus so I would have something, anything that could set myself apart from the rest. Thinking back, I wonder if that was part of what drew me, Azula, and Mai together."

The two lingered in silence for a while.

"You grew up with Zuko, right?" Aang asked.

Ty Lee hesitated. "Mmhm."

"What was he like back then?"

"He was his mother's son, even if he tried to be like his father. He tried so hard at things, tried so hard to do right, but none of it ever made a difference. That never stopped him from trying, even after his mother left, and he was always emotional, never hiding what he was thinking, especially from me." Ty Lee paused, as if remembering something. "I can see auras," she added hastily.

"Have you always been able to do that?" Aang asked, intrigued.

"I think so. I was always good at guessing peoples moods, but when I tried describing it, people thought I was crazy."

"I think it's a gift."

Ty Lee looked down. "It didn't feel like one during the Comet. Zuko's aura was always like a fireplace in the winter. Steady, calm, soothing even. The next time we met, it was agitated, fluctuating wildly, but that was hardly a surprise." She shivered, recalling an unpleasant memory.

"What is it?" Aang asked.

"When he stormed the palace, it was like he had become something else entirely. It was like a sun of black fire, howling, smothering…hungry." She sighed lightly. "He felt like some monster of lore instead of one of my friends from childhood." Holding a hand up, Aang could see that it was shaking. "Even now, it's like I can't shake that feeling when I saw him that day."

The airbender sat still, memories of charred swathes of civilization, some fresh and still aflame, others older, but the screams of the victims still howling in the wind.

"I'm sorry," he finally managed to croak.

"It wasn't your fault," Ty Lee said. Banishing the thought to the recesses of her mind, Ty Lee sat up and looked over to Aang. "So, what are you looking for?"

He looked up. "What?"

"You have the look in your eye, like your chasing after a lost hope."

Mulling it over, Aang exhaled slowly. "Over one-hundred years ago, my people were slaughtered, and I wasn't there to stop it because I was frozen in an iceberg. When I found out about it, I thought it was my duty to see my people restored someday. But now…I'm wondering how much the world really needed my people."

Ty Lee watched with a surprising amount of interest.

"So, I guess what I'm looking for is answers."

"How is your search going so far?"

"I've visited all the Air Temples again, but I couldn't find much that wasn't destroyed. I revisited some old places Monk Gyatso took me to."

Appa groaned, standing up outside. Ty Lee quickly sat up and Aang found his staff, cautiously approaching the mouth.

"It's a Sky Bison," a girl said from outside the cave.

Ty Lee struggled to her feet and crept up behind Aang, keeping to the shadows.

Outside, they saw a girl and a little boy with glasses approaching Appa, who sniffed them curiously. Both wore clothes that did not appear to be of local custom and design, almost resembling Aang's own robes. When they saw the humans, they both gasped. To Ty Lee's relief, their attention was focused on the airbender, whose eyes were wide in shock.

"Is it really you?" the little boy asked.

"Of course it is, Jingbo" the girl said. "He's got the tattoos and everything!" The girl then bowed low, the boy aping the move in quick succession.

"It's an honor to meet you, Avatar Aang," they said in unison.

Aang blinked, then scratched his head. "Well…I'm not really the Avatar anymore."

The children looked at each other, then back to Aang. "Really?"

"Yeah. The powers got transferred to my friend, Zuko. He's the Avatar now."

The girl shrugged. "That still means you _were_ the Avatar."

"And that means we don't have to change the name of our club," the boy, Jingbo, added.

"Club?"

"Yes!" the girl answered. "I'm Hei-Won, one of the founding members of the Avatar Aang Fan Club. Come with us and you can see for yourself."

Breaking camp with their aid, Aang and Ty Lee, who got an invitation by association, followed the duo back into town, the acrobat riding on Appa at a sedate pace behind them.

"Here we are," Hei-Won said, coming to a stop.

The sign looked recent, especially compared to the rest of the place, which looked like an old tea house that had been abandoned then restored, presumably by the club members.

"Come inside," she said, "you can meet the others."

Aang saw more young people dressed like Hei-Won and Jingbo, all of them emulating Air Nomad styles. Symbols of airbendering were plastered all over the place. Overwhelming any other scent were smells that Aang had thought he would never smell again. True, they were not completely exact, but closer than anything he had found in the world.

 _It seems like some people did their research,_ he thought, just as Hei-Won shouted to get the group's attention.

"Guys! Look who we found!"

The room fell silent, all eyes turned to the doorway, and then a furor broke out as the whole of the club crowded around the newcomer, peppering the Air Nomad and his companion with questions.

"Okay, OKAY!" another girl shouted over the commotion, dousing the enthusiasm with practiced authoritarian command. "Let's give him some space."

The club members backed off, but they still watched the two of them with great anticipation as the older girl stepped in front.

"I am Xing Ying, president of the Fan Club. Allow me to extend an official welcome on behalf of our organization."

[-]

What followed next, Ty Lee was not entirely sure of. Aang ended up at the center of the circle of Air Nomad cultural enthusiasts, who eagerly peppered the young man with questions. After finding out that she was neither an airbender nor an Air Nomad, they stopped trying to drag Ty Lee in to talk, letting her sequester herself in a dark corner, warily watching all movements, every loud noise causing her to twitch or look for an escape.

Looking outside, she could see some of the club members tending to Appa, feeding and brushing him.

As for Aang himself, he was still explaining how he and his mentor used to fling fruit pies at the other monks, inciting a round of giggles. He gesticulated wildly through the motions, vibrantly describing the effects and the lemurs that would always clean up after the mess.

"Thanks," Aang said. "It's nice being able to talk about that again."

"So what brings you to this part of the world, Master Aang?" Xing Ying asked.

Almost at once, Aang sobered.

"I'm revisiting the Air Temples, trying to find out what place the Air Nomads have in the present, if they have any place at all."

There were some scandalized gasps all around the room, hasty whispers that threatened to bubble into indignant outrage. Aang held up a hand to quiet them before they got out of hand.

"I'm becoming convinced that I never had my education as an Air Nomad completed. I learned the tenets of our beliefs, by I never learned why we had them, or how they began. Until I know all I can about my culture, I won't make any drastic decisions. Seeing you all here, with all of this," he gestured to the rest of the building, "it's been pleasant, and hopeful for what I might find at the end of this journey."

"Where do plan to go next?" Hei-Won asked.

Aang rested his hands on his lap, adopting what Ty Lee had decided was his thinking pose. "I still haven't found all the places where the Air Nomads were, but I think I have a way to find them."

The club members whispered amongst themselves, then passed their whispers to Xing Ying.

"If you permit us, Master Aang, some of us would wish to accompany you in this matter."

Sitting up ramrod straight, Aang looked at the faces of the club members, waiting for what he would say next. Presently, he bowed his head.

"Thank you," he said, then he turned to the dark corner. "Ty Lee, do you want to come?"

"I don't have anything else to do," she said with a shrug. "And it sounds like it should be fun."

Aang nodded and turned back to the fans. "Okay, Appa can carry six more people."

The club president hummed thoughtfully to herself. "We'll have sort through who is available and vote from there."

Leaving the club to conduct their business, Aang approached Ty Lee. Without prompting, she quickly explained herself.

"I' m thinking that maybe if you can find your own answers, I might find mine alone the way."

"Let's hope that there actually is something at the end of this road." Aang looked out the window

 **A/N: Another chapter for Book Four down. Aang's fan club is around and getting involved in things. More importantly, Ty Lee's back! I hope I gave solid enough reason as to why the bubbly girl we knew in canon is reduced to a paranoid, cynical, and broken young woman.**

 **One thing that kind of irked me after I had seen Avatar: The Last Airbender was that even after explaining why she left her family, Ty Lee decided to join the Kyoshi Warriors. Granted, they probably have a greater respect for individuality than her family apparently did, but one would have thought that Ty Lee would have still avoided such a fate, even if she did become friends with them. To avoid that end, I am drastically altering her path and where it ultimately leads.**


	44. On Turning Tides

Chapter Forty-Four: On Turning Tides

Open seas were a relief for the renegade. No one to see or be seen by, no one to say a word about him and his appearance. Nothing but the cool breeze, the sound crashing of waves, birdcalls, and the rough, but steady motor of the boat carrying him to his hideout.

The passing patrols he had set did not challenge his arrival, already familiar with his appearance and vaguely aware of his expected time patterns.

Docking at the smallest island, he stepped off unto the constructed docks and walked into the ramshackle buildings that had been thrown together from collected junk and abandoned materials. Likewise, the rest of his fleet was cobbled together from salvaged ships of Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation make, bolstered by some Water Tribe boats.

Gathered insurgents hastily found other work and averted their eyes. Some all but fled his presence. Once he was inside his chosen headquarters, he removed his helm, running a hand over his patchy hair and pulling the bandages from his mouth.

An aging waterbender walked up to him. "Another successful trip, sir?" he asked.

The criminal nodded, smoke wafted from his mouth with his breathing, little black puffs like a furnace.

"How is the prisoner doing, Karuk?" he rasped.

"Alive and well," the healer answered. "More than enough for our purposes."

Once again, the insurgent nodded. Seeing as his boss had no more to say of that, Karuk reported the other happenings.

"More recruits have been arriving at the designated points. They and their equipment are being integrated into the rest of our forces. At our present rate, we are actually ahead of schedule for once."

The boss grunted his approval. "The colonies are a keg of blasting jelly waiting for someone to light the fuse. There's no need for us to involve ourselves in that until we are all ready. My involvement alone is enough for now."

The two rounded the corner where some idle soldiers were chatting quietly amongst themselves. The insurgent leader stared at them blankly.

"New soldiers, sir," Karuk explained.

Without a word, he continued listening.

"I don't see why we need to take orders from a kid," one said, making only a half-hearted effort to keep his voice low.

Another one snorted. "And a fireben-"

Both men were driven to the floor by a pair of hands, fingertips searing into their foreheads as they stared into the wild eyes staring out of the wrappings of bandages, boring into the men as he weighed their fates. What few bystanders there were cleared out of the way or froze on the spot, waiting on bated breath for what might happen next.

"Don't ever mention that again," the boss growled dangerously, throat glowing like bellows at the forge.

The heat that had been building against their heads tapered off, leaving slight burns where his fingers had rested. Their boss swept his gaze over the crowd and stalked away.

[-]

"Here we go again," said Zuko.

Standing in front of a familiar gate, the Avatar slammed the knocker down three times. Presently, there was an answer.

"Avatar Zuko."

"Good afternoon, Fat."

"You've been expected. Please, come inside."

Zuko followed the butler into the courtyard and was met with the sight of Mai in the middle of a spar with Piandao. Hair tied behind her head, and a training sword in hand, she was attempting to land a strike on the old master. The Avatar watched with great interest as the two exchanged blows.

Judging by the intensity and moves being executed, Zuko estimated that Mai had been training for months. Still, there was a considerable amount of room to improve, as the fight concluded shortly after, Mai hesitating when the Master made a feint to the left and struck her shoulder, the following leg sweep nearly sending her crashing to the ground.

Both looked up when Zuko clapped.

"Zuko!" Mai exclaimed.

"You're already faring better than I did with a year of training."

He helped Mai to her feet, the girl pulling him into a hug, then hastily taking two steps back.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "I thought your business in Ba Sing Se would have kept you longer."

Zuko grimaced. "We can talk about it later."

"I think we can call it a day," Piandao said. "Why don't we get ready for dinner?"

He and Mai bowed to each other and took a towel from Fat before turning to Zuko.

"What brings you to my home today?" Piandao asked.

"Business, mostly," Zuko replied, looking off to the side. "But that can wait for the moment."

"We can meet for tea in about an hour. Make yourself

It was with no small elation that Zuko presented his blades to his old master, who took up the completed work, flipping them over in his hands, inspecting the craftsmanship.

"An interesting choice of metals," he said. "Heavier than your originals, but still balanced."

Handing the sword back to its owner, Piandao watched as Zuko gave them a couple of test swings.

"I really hadn't noticed," Zuko replied. He stopped and held the blades in front of himself. "It doesn't feel any different. If anything it feels lighter than before."

"Regardless, I'm sure you will treat them well."

Zuko returned the blades to their sheath on his back. "Of course, Master."

At that moment, Fat entered with refreshments, followed by Mai

Her hair was hanging loosely, still wet from earlier perspiration and washing it out, and she had changed into a fresh set of clothes, some comfortable looking robes.

Everyone found places around the table and sat down for a pleasant dinner. Smalltalk was shared, interjected between bites. Even then, Zuko found his mind wandering to other matters.

Whenever Zuko had time to spend, he usually returned to Piandao's estate. Even with the great traveling distances, it was worth it, allowing him to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the big cities and afforded him a respite from the never-ending parade of problems that demanded his attention.

And then there was Mai. Whatever they had been before his banishment, which was not much to speak of, those old feeling had taken on a different direction. The occasional visits had carried childhood crushes to the beginnings of romance, but it was more than he had with any of the girls he knew to any real length.

 _Focus!_ Zuko berated himself. "When did you start practicing with swords?"

"Not long after the Comet," Mai replied.

"I see," Zuko said, smiling. "You've gotten good. You appear overly cautious, but that's something that you look like you're already fixing."

It was hard to see, but Zuko thought he could see a light blush form on Mai's cheeks.

"So, what was it that brought you to my door this time?" Piandao asked.

Zuko opened his mouth and closed it, looking to "Mai, can I talk with you privately?"

She blinked a few time, silently mulling the proposal, then nodded, leading him to the sitting room. Zuko looked around nervously, trying to find the right words to start out with, but Mai ran out of patience faster than that.

"You're awfully tense," she said.

Zuko sighed. "I had a meeting with Minister Jushiro and Uncle Iroh."

Mai paused briefly. "That would do it."

"My uncle is going to be the new Fire Lord. They're also wanting me to get married."

Another pause, this time, Mai stopped completely. Since she did not immediately say anything, Zuko pressed on.

"This is moving things up faster than I wanted, but-"

"Yes."

"…You didn't let me finish."

"Knowing you, you were going to make a big speech, which I'm sure you spent the entire trip here thinking about."

"True. They even had a list of prospective brides."

Mai was unimpressed. "Hm."

"Apparently, you were towards the top, so it wasn't hard to argue your case. I didn't even have to threaten to set it on fire. I promised my uncle I'd tell him when I got your answer."

His…fiancé walked around the table and sat next to him, leaning on his shoulder.

"How soon?" she asked.

"I got them to wait a six months. We can travel some of the old colonies together before the wedding."

"Why do you want to wait?"

"Figured we might as well spend more time in the other's company before we have to handle raising a child."

Mai sighed. "We're being pretty cavalier about this."

"Yeah." The two sat in companionable silence for a long while. "In the meantime, I have to keep an ear out for the Earth King. Find out what happened."

Mai glanced over her shoulder. "He's still missing?"

"Apparently."

"How do they know he's still alive?"

"They don't, but I do. He's not dead. Not yet."

"What about finding him with a shirshou?"

"Already tried. I think we're stuck with normal means of tracking, or waiting until he decides to poke his head out of his own will."

"Is it possible that he's under duress?"

Zuko froze, then scratched his chin. "It would explain why he hasn't shown up after all this time. At any rate, pressure's mounting. The stalemate is holding, but it looks like it might falter within the year. And I'm not convinced they'll wait for the Earth King to be found before things fall apart."

"How come no one's been able to find the Earth King? It's been almost a year since the war ended."

"Given the Earth Kingdom's size, it would be difficult enough to find him in peace times. With between the war and the transition back to peace, and no help from the Blitz, things are more hectic than ever."

"Have you tried finding him with the Avatar powers?"

"Tried. The best I got was somewhere in the colonies, which means he could be anywhere up or down western side of the Earth Kingdom. It's like something is blocking my vision."

"Is it normal for you to have trouble like this?"

"I don't know. It's not like I've really had time to sit down and learn everything about being the Avatar. And it's not like I can ask any of my predecessors for advice, since the first two never had a clue what they were, and until I can find Aang, the rest are lost to me as well."

"Has anyone seen him lately?"

"I've heard rumors, but nothing solid enough to try pursuing him, and with everything else on the plate, finding him wasn't a priority." Zuko let out a sharp breath. "I'm guessing he is fine, but doesn't want to be found. But he's pretty resourceful, and I know he can take care of himself."

"Zuko, you're pacing."

"Hm? Oh." He stopped and took a calming breath. "Well, enough of that. I guess we can announce our news the rest of the house."

Naturally, there was a party, small as it might have been, but that did not make it any less meaningful. Through the course of conversation, talk drifted to the future.

"When do you plan on leaving?" Piandao asked.

"Within the week, if possible," Zuko answered.

The swordmaster smiled knowingly and looked at Mai. "Your timing couldn't be better."

"I finished my own sword earlier this week," she said.

"Really?"

"I'm trying to understand how Sokka finished his weapon and still get some training in within a few days."

"There are several things I don't understand about that guy."

Piandao smirked, then sobered up. "I'm sure you both have great deal ahead of you. I think it'd be best we bed down early tonight."

[-]

Morning dawned, and Zuko was already prepared to depart, though he attributed it to nervous energy from earlier festivities. He secured his swords in their normal spot, then slung his pack over the sheath, grabbing his staff on the way out.

He made his way to Mai's quarters and knocked on the door.

"Mai, are you ready?" he asked.

"Almost," she replied. "You can come in."

Mai had affixed a barrette-style clip, putting her hair into an upturned bird tail, and left a pair of strands framing her face. Her _wakizashi_ was sitting on the vanity as she slid her knives and launchers into position. The short-sword was then secured to her waist, she took a moment to get accustomed to the new addition to her arsenal.

Looking herself in the mirror, she saw Zuko leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. His hair had gotten long enough to put in a top-knot again, but left the sides to cover the rougher edges of his scar.

"What's our first stop?" Mai asked.

"Yu Dao," Zuko answered. "Some of the others made camp there after the armistice, and it being the oldest colony and a center for commerce for the region, I figure plenty of rumors have passed through. Plus, I'd like to see how everyone else is doing."

"I'm surprised they're still there."

"After all they've done – what we've all done – going back to normal can't be easy. And there's still plenty to do to make the transition easier."

Mai turned to Zuko. "So why did you choose me?"

"What?" he asked, taken aback at the sudden change in topic.

"In your position, you could have picked any other girl, no care of the consequences. So why did you choose me."

"Several reasons, I guess. For one, I know you're not after me for power or position."

Mai scoffed. "Before your banishment, my father was trying to talk your father into a betrothal between us. He's going to be insufferable when he hears about us."

"You could have said no."

"True. And that's why I said yes."

Zuko looked out the window "Why is it that the more power I end up with, the harder it gets to make choices of my own? If I had become Fire Lord, even in a time of peace, I would have been in the same position."

Putting the last of her things away, Mai thought for a moment and answered. "Because whether you're the Avatar or the Fire Lord or any other position of power, you aren't living for yourself anymore. You're holding lives in your hands, now."

"The price of power." Drawing himself up, Zuko exhaled sharply. "I think that's enough contemplating the nature of the universe. Come on."

The young couple made their way to the courtyard where Piandao and Fat were waiting for them.

"Thank you for your hospitality, master," both young people said, bowing their heads.

"It was no trouble," he said. The old sword master rested a hand on his pupils' shoulders. "Wherever you go, whatever you do, I wish you two good luck."

 **A/N: Zuko and Mai are officially engaged. Glad to get that out of the way ASAP so the rest of the plot can move. If you were expecting a longer courting process, most of the developments happened in the time-skip. I hope I was clear enough on that.**

 **This chapter had several revisions, none of which I was 100% happy with, but with all the other developments that I've been working on, I needed to get things moving again. On the plus side, I ended up with enough material to split the chapter in two, which will be set in Yu Dao, which also means I will have another chapter released next week.**

 **As always, let me know if anything seems weird or out of place. In general, I have a reason for what I do.**


	45. As the Storm Begins to Rise

Chapter 45: As the Storm Begins to Rise

While Zuko had never been one to be seasick, having spent entire months at sea without making port or leaving the ship, he was glad to have his feet on solid ground at their destination. Yu Dao looked much like he had left it the previous time. A couple of new structures had been added, and it looked like there was some more buildup on the road leading to the mouth of the river.

Mai stood at his side, watching the myriad of emotions discretely play out on his face.

"Where do we go?" she asked.

"I need to talk to the mayor. If this ends up as our fallback point, it would be good to set ourselves up in Toph's place."

Zuko barely had enough time to brace himself as Toph crashed into him and lifted him off the ground.

"Speaking of," Zuko groaned. "Hello, Toph."

"You disappear for months and that's all you've got to say?" Toph laughed, dropping the Avatar and punching him in the shoulder.

"Hey, Demolition Man!" Sokka called out.

Zuko and Mai saw Water Tribe warrior walking up, Suki and Katara following closely behind him.

 _And here comes everyone else,_ Zuko thought. "I knew I sent word ahead of our arrival, but I didn't expect you all to come out to greet us."

"Eh, it's been a slow day," Sokka said, grabbing Zuko's forearm. "Welcome back."

"And I could hear you coming a mile off." Toph added. "Why didn't you drop by the last time you were here, Thunder-Toes?"

Zuko snorted. "Short answer: politics."

Toph blinked. "Ah. That makes sense."

"So, how are you and your girlfriend?" Sokka asked.

"Fiancée," Mai corrected.

Suki blinked twice. "Wait, what?"

Zuko cleared his throat. "We're engaged," he said.

In the brief silence, everyone stared at the betrothed couple. Sokka broke the ensuing silence first.

"Congrats, buddy!" he cheered, enthusiastically slapping Zuko on the shoulder.

Katara quickly caught up with her brother. "Wait, you two are getting married?"

"Yup," Mai answered.

"So, what are you guys doing here?" Sokka asked. "Not exactly the best vacationing spot at the moment."

"Looking for the Earth King," said Zuko.

Sokka shrugged. "Not the most exciting of honeymoons I've heard of. Or would you call it a pre-honeymoon? Suki, can you help me out?"

"We can settle semantics later," Zuko said, cutting him off. "Can you bring me up to speed on what's happening around here?"

"Sure, come on. We can talk along the way."

The gaggle of people rallied behind Sokka and for a walk through the town. Zuko sauntered up alongside him as Katara pestered Mai for details about her love life, none of which she was particularly forthcoming with.

As they walked along, Zuko saw a city teeming with activity, not a single shop closed in sight. Sokka noticed where his eyes were wandering.

"At first," he began. "I thought this place would have torn itself apart after the Fire Nation attacked, but it seems more like it brought the community together." The Water Tribe warrior grimaced, but it soon subsided. "I hope it can last. Some new guy has been running around, wreaking havoc across the colonies. I've been through the reports and it sounds like he's trying to provoke someone into doing something stupid. Just last week, we finally saw him ourselves."

"What can you tell me about him?" Zuko asked.

"They're calling him the Ash Wraith, and, in a few words, he's dangerous. Just from the brief run-in with him and looking at the bodies he's left behind, I'm thinking he might be worse than Hama. Superhuman speed, crazy strong, and apparently likes roasting people from the inside."

Zuko's jaw involuntarily clenched as unbidden images of his sister flashed through his mind, then nodded for him to continue.

"Anyways, he's a firebender running around and causing trouble. Mayor Morishita and I talked it out, and we think he's trying to provoke the Earth Kingdom to forcibly disband the colonies, or get the Fire Nation to come in and annex the area again to the same end."

"Apart from some bases being used to evacuate Fire Nation forces should be evacuating."

"Yeah, well, there's been sightings of Fire Navy patrols keeping watch, a bit outside the agreed confines. I'm thinking this guy isn't the only one itching for a fight, either."

"Or someone's trying to give that impression," Zuko suggested.

Sokka snorted. "That just sounds too optimistic. Anyway, here we are."

The place was relatively modest for a government official's residence, but between the design, the walls, and the guards posted, it clearly belonged to someone of import. The motley crew ascended the steps and into the house.

Inside was an entryway that mirrored the outside. Some plants masked the scent of recently polished wood. The rugs were new, as was some furniture. Still, the layout had not changed since the last time he had been in the house.

 _And fewer bodies._

Coming down the steps, a girl wearing an odd combination of greens and reds walked into view. She moved with assurance of her place until she saw Zuko, and froze on the spot, a flare of hostility spiking off of her.

Sokka waved to the girl. "Hey, Kori," he said, then turned to the Avatar. "Zuko, this is Kori Morishita. She's the mayor's daughter."

"A pleasure to meet you," Zuko said, reaching out a hand.

She looked down, then gave it a quick shake. "Avatar Zuko," she added, tersely, dropping his hand.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "I get the impression you don't like me."

Sokka chortled, earning him a quick glare from the Avatar. He threw up his hands and stepped back. "Perhaps this would be best continued inside," he said. "Kind of been on my feet all day."

Escorted into the sitting room, no one said a word until the only people standing were Zuko and Kori. Sokka had reclined on a chair nearby in anticipation of some, hopefully, metaphorical sparks flying, others preferring to keep some distance.

"You obviously want to say something to me," said Zuko. "You can say it to my face."

"Is that a fact?" The girl crossed her arms, defiantly staring at him. "What do you know of Yu Dao, Avatar?"

"It was the first of the colonies that the Fire Nation established when they invaded the Earth Kingdom, in both instances."

"Right. As the oldest of the colonies, Yu Dao has had the greatest opportunity to integrate itself in a way few others have. People of both Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom origin and descent."

"There's even some Water Tribe people around here," Sokka threw in.

Kori nodded. "This is what your 'Harmony Restoration Movement' is going to destroy. Homes broken, families torn apart, everything we've done to make this city what it is ripped up by the root."

Zuko sighed. "What do you want me to do?" he asked. "I can't exactly go against the current edicts, and no one currently at the negotiating table is going to budge on the matter."

It was hard to see, but he could see her face sink, but it was overtaken by a rallying of spirit as she prepared to argue, so Zuko it at the bud.

"Nonetheless, I'll see what I can do, but I won't make any promises on the results."

The Mayor and his advisor walked in, the man's voice filling the room.

"Avatar Zuko, it's good to see you again," the man said.

"Mayor Morishita," Zuko said, bowing.

"I see you've met my daughter."

"Yeah," the Avatar answered neutrally. "A charming girl."

Kori slipped out of the room without another word. The mayor sighed, but let her leave without issue.

"You have to forgive her," he apologized. "She can be quite headstrong at times. Come. We have much to discuss."

The meeting room was tidy, but the remnants of intensive research were evident, stacks of papers stacked on the tables, a couple of books missing from the shelves, and assorted writing instruments gathered in different corners. The first thing that Zuko inspected was the map dominating the western wall. The mayor took note of his interest.

"Ah, that is a map of the Wraith's movement's along with the corresponding dates."

"Have there been any other attacks?" Zuko asked. "And do you still have the reports from those attacks? I'd rather have a clear picture on this guy."

"We already compiled what we have. Sokka and I were going through this recently. This here is one of the most significant, as it is the first major operation we can tie to him."

"The New Year Massacre," Zuko took the sheet, skimming through the contents, then stopped. "Sword wounds."

"Not just any sword wounds. The cuts were partially cauterized. What doesn't haven't figured it is why he hasn't used any since."

Zuko dropped the report on the table, staring off into the distance.

"What is it?" Mai asked.

He walked around the table, brows pinched. "While I was working in Ba Sing Se, there was a string of murders. Officials of varying importance, but they all had the same wounds. Cauterized sword wounds. Probably wouldn't have stuck out if it didn't pick up _after_ the Blitz. He disappears about a month later and then we have this."

"And you think this is the same guy?" Toph asked.

"The scale and methods aren't quite the same. This is more Shock and Awe, when before, he just took out isolated officials and their guards. Sometimes in their homes with their families. Always lit the place on fire when he was done, but no one thought about firebending." Zuko grabbed the sheet again. "Though, for this, I think he had help. That level of destruction-"

Sokka cleared his throat. "You aren't the first to think that. I went there myself with Toph to check, and she agreed." Toph waved from across the room. "Obvious earthbending signs were still present, beginning from the outside. On top of that, we think he shed whatever help he had was dropped, and he's been going solo ever since."

"There's plenty of places to hide a small army, especially when you've got earthbending." Zuko looked back at the map. "A firebending assassin upgrades to guerilla warfare, might be building an army, and if he attacks the right people, or provokes them into action, the colonies will be the battlefield. It looks like my uncle was being optimistic."

"What do you mean?" Katara asked.

"My uncle was giving us maybe half a year before things fell apart again," Zuko answered. "Now it's looking like it will be less than that. If the war were to reignite, the Fire Nation's chances are not good. Less so for a protracted engagement. On the other hand, if the Earth Kingdom were to pursue total war and conquest, it would take several years, and would weaken them to the point they would be facing internal strife for years to come. Either way, the colonies are going to get plastered."

"Well…let's make sure it doesn't come to that," the mayor said.

"Agreed. Sokka?"

The Water Tribe warrior poked his head up. "Yeah?"

"Are there any patrols being run outside of town?"

"Yeah."

"I want to go on the next one."

 **A/N: Yay! The gang is getting back together (even if they are not** _ **all**_ **back together, yet). And now our villain has a name. There will be some other things to deal with throughout this book, but the Ash Wraith will be the prevailing threat throughout encountered.**

 **On the production side of things, things are picking up after a brief lull. With the end of** _ **Finding Yourself**_ **coming into scope (yes, it is coming rather quickly), my focus (my attention never left) is being brought back to the** _ **Apocalyptian Saga**_ **, along with some other upcoming projects. For example,** _ **Naruto: Re**_ **is finally getting its expansion into a full story, and I have some other short projects to work as crumb trails to keep me going, which is to be gathered into a single entity.**

 **Anyhow, as always, leave reviews or PM me if something seems funky and needs to be fixed. Tell a friend or something, if you feel so inclined.**


	46. Gathering Clouds

Chapter 46: Gathering Clouds

Trudging through overgrown trails outside of Yu Dao was not exactly the sort of thing Zuko thought of as a form of fun, and he imagined Mai would have words with him later. Still, it was a pleasant enough day for a walk in the woods.

"What happened to looking for the Earth King?" Sokka asked. "Are you planning on searching the entirety of the colonies like this?"

"No," Zuko replied, just in time to catch a branch to his face. "But I can't exactly leave things as they are. All it would take is one idiot spoiling for a fight and searching for the Earth King would be pointless."

Mai snapped her fingers to get their attention. Both Zuko and Sokka saw her squinting off to the side of the pathway. The two of them flanked her as she knelt down.

"What is it?" Sokka asked.

"Someone's been cutting a new trail here recently."

Zuko sniffed the air. "Sokka, is there anyone else supposed to be out in this direction besides us?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"Then stay on your guard. Let's see what's hiding out in the woods."

Sokka glanced at Mai, who shrugged, following Zuko into the vegetation. Sokka sent the rest of the team back to town to alert them, then caught up to Zuko.

Conversation ceased, Sokka taking the lead with his machete hacking away some more bothersome branches until they came into a clearing. The Water Tribe warrior tensed, and it took a couple of seconds for Zuko to realize why.

 _No birdsongs._

Mai deflected the first arrow with her sword, and Zuko propped up an earth wall before the second one could hit its mark. Zuko sniffed the air, eyes flicking to and fro. Sokka had his sword out, doing the same.

"Why don't you all come out where I can see you, nice and slowly?" Zuko called out.

The forest fell silent for a moment, then some rustling approached until they came out into the open. Some of them were familiar, others not. The one at the front was a girl with shaggy hair and piecemeal armor.

"Smellerbee," Sokka gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, nothing," she answered sarcastically. "Just trying to ignore the Fire Nation stink that's still clinging to our homes like a bad rash." The girl huffed and glared at Mai. "That's strange."

"What's strange?" Sokka asked, noting the spike in hostility.

"I didn't know you were so cozy with Fire Nation spies."

Mai still had her sword in one hand and a knife in the other, ready to retaliate in the event of a fight.

"Hey!" Sokka barked, positioning himself between the two of them before it came to blows. "We're all friends here."

"Tell that to the girl who sold out the Earth Kingdom." Smellerbee brandished her sword, pointing it at Mai. "We trusted you, Jia! Jet trusted you."

 _Ah,_ Zuko thought. _So that's what this is about._

"Jet wasn't the first person Azula manipulated like that," Mai retorted.

Sokka pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright. Angry ladies, before we carry on this discussion, is there somewhere we can talk quietly. There's a lot that happened since we last saw each other that we all need to be brought up to speed on."

The Freedom Fighters looked among each other until Smellerbee gave a resigned shrug.

"Come on," she said. "We have an outpost nearby."

[-]

The encampment was rather simple, mostly scattered campfires, all concealed beneath ground level, and what looked like some foxholes disguised as bushes.

"Welcome to this humble abode. I'd offer you some better hospitality, but there isn't much money in freedom fighting these days."

"Nice setup," Sokka commented. "I almost didn't spot your watchtower."

Smellerbee ignored him for a while longer, then had them stop in the center of camp.

"So, Sokka, Lee, I didn't know you all knew Jia, or whatever your real names are. I guess they're more Fire Nation-y."

"Right. Reintroductions. This is Mai and, ahem, Avatar Zuko."

"What a load of bull-"

Zuko interrupted by twirling around a ball of air in his hand.

"Do you need more proof?" he asked.

Smellerbee backpedaled, physically and mentally, then looked at Sokka, who nodded back.

"What about Aang?" she asked, gathering her thoughts back together.

"Alive, but not the Avatar anymore." Zuko dismissed the ball of air, then glanced around. "It's something of a long story. Now, can you tell me what's happening around here?"

"What happened to Jet?" Mai asked.

Smellerbee shot her another nasty look, then shook her head. "No one knows. The last time I saw him, the Dai Li were dragging us off to the dungeons. He managed to escape in the confusion, but I'm not sure how he got out of the palace, or if he survived the Blitz."

"Azula tried taking him out during the coup, but he escaped in a diversion. Last I heard was that they were still looking for him. But I didn't stay very long after that."

"Well, after he got out of the palace, he left a message at one of our emergency drops we had set up, said that Li, Yun, and Jia were all Fire Nation spies."

"Lee?" Zuko asked, scratching his jaw.

"Azula used a different spelling," Mai replied. "Yun was Ty Lee's cover."

"And she hasn't been seen since the Blitz," Zuko finished. "And I personally dealt with Azula."

Smellerbee grunted a vague approval. "Anyways, with Jet gone, someone had to take over, so I'm the one leading the Freedom Fighters these days. Now, what was it that you wanted to tell us, Sokka?"

"Do you want the long version or the short?" Sokka asked back.

"Short."

Sokka cleared his throat, then quickly ran down the happenings of the last year.

"Apparently, after Aang went under a century ago, the Avatar…split, I guess, and then the cycle continued until it reached Zuko, but stayed dormant. Aang finished transferring the other half while we were in Ba Sing Se. At that point, Mai switched sides - at great personal risk, I might add – and helped us in taking down the Fire Lord."

"Nice time to find a conscience," Smellerbee mused.

"Anywho, we were in the middle of rebuilding when Azula launched the attack across the Earth Kingdom. Azula gets replaced by a saner Fire Lord, and we've been holding things together ever since while Zuko and Mai are looking for the Earth King."

"That's the short version?"

"I skipped a whole bunch of details. I can give you the whole retelling when the world isn't about to implode. Now what brings you to this neck of the woods?"

The Freedom Fighter stabbed her blade into the dirt. "We've been tracking down this firebender who seems set on antagonizing the Earth Kingdom. We're talking weapons stolen, supplies raided, and attacks on patrols, all with very distinct pattern. If it weren't because he was a bender, I would have tagged him as a former Freedom Fighter."

"You never had benders in your group?" Sokka asked.

"Most of them tended to get scooped up by the military early on, or targeted by Fire Nation bounty-hunters before we could get to them, and there weren't many of them in our villages before the attacks. And it's not like we had anyone to train them if they stayed."

"Would you have kept a firebender if they helped you?"

Smellerbee thought for a long second. "Nah. Jet might've killed them out of hand."

The three of them blanched slightly at the thought.

"Dark," Sokka muttered. "I knew he had a beef with the Fire Nation, but I didn't think he'd be that extreme. Getting back on topic: why are you chasing this firebender?"

Despite her age, Smellerbee suddenly looked old and weary. "I'm tired of fighting."

Longshot walked up beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder. She looked back and up at him.

"What is it?"

The archer jerked his head back to the direction he had come from.

"We've got somebody approaching. Heading straight for us, from the looks of it. Douse the fires."

"We'll come along," said Zuko.

"Fine. Don't blame me if you get dead."

Smellerbee set the pace off into what looked like a mass of tangled brush. Longshot whistled and led another group on a parallel path.

Presently, they found a line of soldiers navigating the forest.

"Scouting team," Smellerbee quietly announced. "About a dozen, though I'd guess there're more hiding out of sight."

"Agreed," said Sokka.

"Did you have anything to do with this?" Zuko asked.

Smellerbee scoffed. "I'm still a little cautious in dealing with Earth Kingdom officials after Ba Sing Se.

Not detecting a lie, he gave a quick nod. "Fair enough. Now let's see what these people want."

"Wait, what?"

Zuko got up and began making his way to intercept the group. It did not take long for the point man to notice him. Not that he was really trying to be stealthy to begin with, but he gave them points for their vigilance.

"Halt!" the scout commanded, but was ignored until Zuko could see their faces.

"What's the meaning of this?" Zuko demanded.

One of the soldiers tensed and whispered to the leader. "Sir, he looks Fire Nation."

"He's part of our local forces," Sokka called out, sauntering up to the standoff. "Now, can you explain why you guys are trapezing around here?"

As both parties collected in the open, Zuko could feel the tension build up. There were some raised eyebrows at the eclectic group, but the soldiers remained on a hair-trigger

The commander sneered at the perceived impudence. "Intelligence reported that a Fire Nation company had taken refuge in the surrounding area," he answered. "Our mission is to locate and root them out."

Zuko crossed his arms. "I haven't seen any Fire Nation forces of any kind in the last month that aren't accounted for by the agreements. If anything, you're the ones breaking the ceasefire by being here."

"This is Earth Kingdom territory, even if you people are squatting here."

"Until the Harmony Restoration Movement is properly enacted, the colonial region is supposed to be a neutral zone. Unless you wish there to be more fighting, I recommend you leave."

The scout scoffed. "Like you can hope to make us."

Zuko tapped a heel into the dirt, cracking the ground underneath them.

"Leave," he said, this time with more force. "Before I decide to make you leave."

Some glances were exchanged between some of the rank and file until the commander signaled them to withdraw.

"We'll be back," he said.

The Earth Kingdom forces pulled back into the brush, neither side showing their backs until they were out of sight. Sokka gave a jaunty wave as they disappeared, then leaned towards Zuko.

"They gone?" he asked.

"They're still moving that way."

The Water Tribe warrior stopped waving and exhaled sharply. "Good."

"And so are we."

A few tense minutes passed as they put distance between them and the ambush point.

"Now what was that about?" Sokka asked. "This is the first we've really seen of any Earth Kingdom forces in a long time, and somehow – just putting it out there – I don't think we made all that great of an impression."

"Remind me to send a message to General Fong when we get back to town. I'd rather not have a loose cannon going off at the moment. Smellerbee."

"What?" she answered.

"I get the impression that that guy is going to try and start something. You may not like me, but can I at least trust you to keep things together for the time being?"

The Freedom Fighter crossed her arms over her chest. "And why should I do that?"

"Didn't you tell us that you're tired of fighting? There are plenty of others who share that sentiment, regardless of where they're from."

"You guys _are_ Freedom Fighters," Sokka added.

Smellerbee stared for a moment, then looked back at the rest of the Freedom Fighters, a sigh escaping her lips as she turned back to Zuko. "Fine. But I'll do it for the Earth Kingdom."

"That's fine by me."

Sokka tapped his chin. "With a little work, I can have them integrated our defense force. That'll keep them from getting attacked by the other guards."

"Alright. Let's get back to Yu Dao. We've got some work to do."

[-]

Toph was standing on the roof when they returned to the compound, hands on her hips.

"Gosh, guys. Are you planning on throwing a party?" she asked.

"Depends on your definition of a party," Sokka answered.

Squinting at the group, Toph finally recognized the footsteps. "Wait a minute…you're one of those Freedom Folks that we met in Ba Sing Se."

"Freedom Fighters," Smellerbee corrected, a touch annoyed.

"Right." The earthbender slipped off the roof and landed in front of them. "Now, what's up? You guys are pretty tense."

Without warning, the Duke jumped onto Smellerbee's back. She nearly retaliated violently until she saw who it was.

"Where've you all been?" he asked.

"Around," she replied. "Where did you two get off to?"

"We helped invade the Fire Nation!"

"Really?"

Zuko let the group have their moment and Sokka leaned next to him.

"How do you think Katara's going to react?" he asked.

"Does she have a grudge against any others in the group?" Zuko answered.

"Like she did with Jet? No."

"Then we should be fine."

At that moment, Katara walked out with Momo on her shoulder. Catching sight of the newcomers, she dropped the bucket she was carrying.

"Is that…?" she asked.

"Yay!" Sokka said, slowly clapping. "I'm all for happy reunions, but we need to take care of some things before we can all catch up on old times."

[-]

All around the room were those in charge of various facets of the city's defense. The mayor sighed. He had been worried about something like this happening for some time, but it was one of those things he had hoped would pass without incident.

"Very well," he finally said. "Lay the situation out for me."

Zuko began the briefing. "Possible incursion by Earth Kingdom forces, assumed to be hostile at this point. They're currently suspected to be to the southeast, but there could be more lingering elsewhere. Judging by the size of the scouting party we ran into, I'd say they're at battalion strength."

"Are they here by official sanction?"

"Unknown, but I suspect this may be a rogue element. Alternatively, they may merely be a sacrificial piece to gauge reactions."

"Or provoke a military response. What is the state of our defenses?"

Sokka leaned on the table. "Thankfully, we already have some plans in place and drilled, along with some pre-established defensive perimeters. Get Toph's people on the line and this place can be turned into a fortress. Do you think you can work that out on your end?

"Sure," Toph answered. "Especially if Zuko's coordination with earthbending improved."

"I've been practicing," Zuko answered. "How about resources? Food, medicine…"

"We're still not up to one-hundred percent," the mayor answered. "But current stock can hold us up for several weeks at least. Longer if we aren't cut off from the outside or held under siege."

"Assume that we will," Zuko said. "We have scouts searching the area. Since we have an idea of where they might be hiding, we can focus our efforts more readily on where the enemy might be."

"But that still doesn't properly account for additional forces lurking elsewhere."

"Right," Sokka answered. "Still, our position is far from weak. The problem right now is unknown enemy strength and any other targets and objectives they might have. Has there been any messages from other nearby cities?"

The mayor shook his head. "Not that I am aware of. Of course, that does not rule out the possibility of a message being lost along the way. All these unknowns…"

"It does paint a precarious picture."

Zuko leaned on the table. "Let's hope our current means will be sufficient."

[-]

The Ash Wraith looked down on the valley, wind whipping his clothes around as he observed the Earth Kingdom encampment. He had expected that there would be a larger reaction to the rumors he had circulated. But he had done more with less in the past, and this would serve his purpose just fine.

Sparks didn't have to be very big to burn a forest to the ground.

 **A/N: I originally planned this chapter to be released at a later date, but I realized that it was going to mess with the story tempo if this didn't come sooner.**

 **As always, constructive criticism is appreciated.**


	47. Taken with the Wind

Chapter 47: Taken with the Wind

Appa sailed through the skies about the Foggy Swamp. Cloud cover was fair, so no one was running the risk of getting sunburned. The view was nice, the sprawling foliage going as far as the eye could see, covering virtually every bit of land.

His passengers were ecstatic to fly with him and Appa,

"How did you find out about this place, anyway?"

"When I was transferring the Avatar spirit to Zuko, I saw some of his memories. He met some of the locals and something about what they talked about gave me some ideas on how to find what my people left behind."

"His memories?" Xing Ying asked.

"Mmhm. It was how we sped up the transfer of the Avatar's powers."

"I didn't know that was possible."

"The Avatar has never been split up before, so we didn't really know either. It just…felt like the best way to go about it."

The drone of the flight lulled the airbender to his thoughts.

 _What am I going to find here?_

"Aang? Are you okay?" Hei-Won asked.

Aang glanced around and realized that they were a fair bit closer to the treetops than before. He looked back to Xing Ying. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Well, you were kind of drifting down."

"Yeah. I guess I was." He pulled the reins up, guiding them further up.

"Is that all?

"Well, it felt like it was…calling me."

"Well, if that- Ty Lee, what are you doing?"

Ty Lee was balancing on the edge of the saddle until someone pulled her back down. She snapped out of her stupor, breathing heavily.

"What was that about?" Yee-Li asked

"We need to land," Ty Lee gasped. "Now."

"Guys," Jingbo called out, "We've got a problem."

A tornado was whipping towards their direction. Changing course only had the tornado follow suit, almost as if it were targeting them specifically.

 _That can't be a coincidence,_ Aang thought."Hei-Won, take the reins!"

Jumping off of Appa's head, he leapt into the air and slammed his fists together, forming an air bubble around them, shielding them from the fierce winds battering the outside.

"Take us down!" Aang shouted. "If nothing else, it will save us from a worse crash."

Appa roared, the bubble shrinking enough for the wind to scratch his feet.

"Come on!" Aang roared, shoving the bubble back to the original size, but the damage had already been done, the bison careening out of control.

When he came to, everyone was already stirring. Appa was curled up on a patch of dirt, everyone else joining him and drying off. Sunlight poured through the massive gash that had been torn into the treetops.

Sitting up, Aang saw he was sitting in the middle of a muddy furrow, bits of foliage scattered across its length.

"Is everyone alright?" he called out.

Ty Lee ran over and helped him to his feet. "Some bumps and bruises, but nothing serious."

"At the speed we were going, it could have been worse."

Jingbo was looking over a map he had brought with him. Granted, it was not a very comprehensive map, and coupled with none of them really knowing where they had landed, it was borderline useless in their present situation, but that was rectified easily enough if they could find a place to get their bearings.

"The tree is probably the best landmark to make use of."

"That will work just fine," Aang said. "That's where I was planning on going, anyway."

Xing Ying brushed off some of the mud from her clothes. "Very well. Lead on."

Though riding Appa up the waterways saved a significant amount of time, they still had to camp out in the swamp for the night, spooking sounds and creeping shadows. Thankfully, that was out in the dark, and the group broke camp the next morning, fully rested to take on the day.

At the foot of the tree, they had to crane necks looking up at the branches.

"This is a very big tree," Hei-Won said.

"What's so important about it, anyway?" Ty Lee asked "It's giving off this strange aura."

"It's the center of the swamp," Aang answered. "Physically and spiritually. For what we're trying to do, it would be best to start there." He dropped his excess gear into Appa's saddle. "I can get up there easy enough, but how do we get the rest of you up there?"

"I've got some rope," Jingbo said, diving into his back. "Now, how do we get the rope up there?"

"I can manage," Ty Lee said, holding out a hand.

Jingbo passed the rope off to Ty Lee. Getting the line in order, she took a deep breath.

"Well…up we go."

Getting a running start, she began ascending the base of the tree to the nearest ledge, tossing the rope down in short order, and the rest of the group began climbing up after her.

Aang waited until the last one was up, then flew himself to them.

Sitting beside the tree was a man in clothes made of leaves, with shaggy, greying hair and beard. The rest of the gang was already chatting him up, landing in the middle of the conversation.

"Huu?" Hei-Won asked.

"Yes, that's my name," Huu replied, pleasantly smiling at the young woman. "Ah, it looks like you're all here, now." He paused and waved to the monk. "Hello, there."

"Hi, I'm Aang."

"Nice to meet you. As I was telling these youngsters, I protect the swamp from those who would hurt it. Now, what're you here for?"

"You meant the tree didn't tell you?"

Huu shrugged. "I just watch over this place. But you…" He met Aang's stare. "You look like you already know what yer here for."

"A friend of mine was here not too long ago. He said it helped him, so I figured I'd check it out myself."

"I get the feeling you already know what you need to do."

Aang looked out into the swamp, spreading out in every direction. Everything in the swamp was connected to the tree, however tangently.

 _Here goes nothing,_ Aang thought. "I may not be the Avatar, but I'm still connected to the Cycle in some way. Maybe…"

He rested a hand against the tree, thinking of his people as he asked, for the lack of a better term, whatever power he was tapping into.

 _Where did you go?_

A trace of light shot out from the tree, weaving over and under the trees and roots, carrying on until it came to rest at a series of hills within the swamp. Some images flashed in his mind, mostly of Air Nomads walking through the place and finding the mouth of a cave. But what stood out was the young man leading the group.

He was older, but the features he had recognized on one of his old friends was made his identity clear.

 _Kuzon!_

Shaken out of his vision by Ty Lee, Aang met the worried looks of his companions. Any further investigation would have to wait as he got his breathing under control.

"What did you see?" Xing Ying asked.

"I saw a friend of mine leading some Air Nomads into the swamp." Seeing some confused faces, he elaborated. "He was a friend of mine before the war. A Fire Nation friend."

Ty Lee stood up straight, catching a knowing look.

Smiling to himself, Aang continued. "You see, the Fire Nation wasn't always a mass of angry flamethrowers as Sokka once put it. They had a rich culture as old as any other nation, and I think they can be that again."

"So, where do we need to go?"

"It's in…that direction." Standing up, Aang began setting off to the east, waving the others to follow. "Come on. Let's go."

"We're burning daylight," Jingbo called out, then began climbing down the tree.

The hike through the swamplands was easier said than done, but their route back-trailed the way that had come from, eventually reaching a recognizable landmark in the shape of a large furrow in both the canopy and ground.

Ty Lee looked over to Aang. "Okay, now where?"

Aang wordlessly guided Appa onward into the tangle of roots and branches. The sky bison forced his way through most of it, climbing over whatever he could not.

Finally, they arrived at their next stop.

The mouth of the cave yawned, tangles of vines dangling over the opening. Nature had largely retaken the location, but the distinct remnants of a path pointed them the way they need to go.

Inside, it was dank with a slight tinge of stale swamp water, but further in they found an odd door blocking the path. The funnels led to pipes, which formed a maze of crossways, intersecting at the locking mechanisms.

"It looks like the door is locked," Hei-Won said.

"We could force it open," Jinbo suggested.

"That won't be necessary," Aang replied. "This is like the inner sanctum of the Air Temples. It's meant to be opened with airbending." He traced a hand over the door, enjoying the wave of nostalgia. "We'll see if being a master airbender is enough."

Channeling air into the intakes, a series of mechanical clicks started sounding in the tight spaces, locks unlatching in slow succession. At the final point in the sequence, the doors swung open, air rushing in.

Glow crystals lit up the chamber, giving off enough light to convince the explorers to ditch the torches.

Along the walls were shelves stacked with rows of chest, sealed tightly to protect their contents.

"There's scrolls in this one."

"This one, too."

"This one has some…you know what, I'm not really sure what this is."

Aang was floored by the sheer amount of history preserved in this place, and this was just he could see. A quick inspection revealed additional rooms and chambers, some where people had lived for a time. Whoever had lived there last had cleaned up after themselves, only some minor items left behind.

He returned to the main chamber where the others were still looking through the chests. They looked up from their work, watching the pensive nomad approach them, working his jaw.

"You want to help me out?" he asked.

"Of course!" the band of fans chorused.

"We're going to be copying this entire library. Starting with this."

Instead of groans of dejection, the proclamation was met with a round of jubilant cheers as the group got to work. Discussions of needed materials and where to find them, transporting them to their location, and other minutia.

Xing Ying approached Aang, speaking quietly so it would not be obvious.

"This is going to take years," she said

"Probably," Aang answered.

"Hey, Aang!" Ty Lee called out. "I found something."

Making his way through the stack of boxes where the acrobat was standing, she held out a letter for him to see. Aang flipped it over in his hands, undoing the seal with a quick flick of the fingers.

"This one is addressed to whoever found this place," she added.

Aang took up the bit of parchment and began reading, vaguely recognizing the handwriting.

 _I don't know if this will last long enough for someone else to find my message, but I can safely say that this is hidden from the eyes of my countrymen, and that is the best that can be hoped for at this point._

 _The Fire Nation is hunting down anything relating to the Air Nomads, including any survivors of their purge. I find it abhorrent, and while I couldn't do anything to stop it, and still can't, I most certainly can't stand by while this atrocity continues. Defiance means the death, but being passive will mean the death of my spirit. So I make sure my defiance goes unnoticed until the time is right._

 _I have found surviving monks and the materials they could recover from the Temples, and together, we have hidden them for future generations to discover and learn from, be they simply curious historians or the next airbending masters ready to pick up where their ancestors left off._

 _In either case, we trust this library to you._

 _Aang, if it's you who's reading this, know that I never forgot our friendship, nor what your people meant for our world._

 _Signed,_

 _Kuzon, "Honorary Air Nomad"_

Ty Lee hummed. "Kuzon, huh? That's my great-grandfather's name, now that I think about it. I guess it's not very unique name."

"Maybe they are the same person," Aang offered with a smile.

She shrugged. "Maybe. Anyway, there's more." She produced an old leather-bound book. "Found it underneath the note. I think it's a journal."

"May I see it?"

The acrobat handed it to Aang and he began flipping through the pages. Judging by the handwriting, Aang realized that it was by the same man who had left the letter.

It began with some random doodles and musings of a prepubescent boy, slowly evolving through the years into adolescence. From there, the writing had an air of resigned acceptance, the tale a young man's struggle against the tides of history woven into the words they read...


	48. Kuzon's Tale

Chapter 48: Kuzon's Tale

 _There's been a call for any able-bodied man and woman to take up arms for the glory of the Fire Nation. That includes me, I guess. Firebenders are in high demand, and my age is only a slight hindrance. I think they're planning on sending me to some extended training camp. It's not like I was that great of a firebender in the first place._

 _I'm supposed to ship out in the next week. Momma and Poppa are proud. I can't help but feel that this is the beginning of something horrible._

There were some sporadic entries after that, noting the progress through his training. The handwriting becoming neater leading to the next major entry.

 _Maybe I should have seen this coming a long way off. After reading about Fire Lord Sozin's previous attempt at expansion and the resulting humiliation at Avatar Roku's hands, it actually makes sense that, with his old friend gone, he would make another play. It's probably too late to do anything now._

 _The weapons are well made, and the ships are revolutionary, but it seems hollow when I know what is going to happen. We are going to invade the other nations, spreading our "magnificence" to their people. I wonder what Aang would think of all of this._

Reading on, Aang noted the date the next entry was written, recoiling slightly.

 _I knew evil existed in the world. I knew what my country was doing was wrong, but my voice is easily drowned out among the eager masses._

 _I was not aware that how tightly interwoven the two were. I would not be surprised if this is a crime every one of us will carry into whatever afterlife awaits us._

 _Genocide. Pure and simple. Using the comet, a cultural icon for generations, Sozin turned it into a symbol of power, his power, and used it to strike Air Nomads. They didn't even have a proper military, much less any means of fighting against the full might of an empowered army._

 _I was nowhere close. I doubt I could do anything in the face of patriotic fervor like I saw._

 _I hear the propaganda, the justification for the war, and it just sickens me to the stomach. I had trouble eating for a few days, and sleep was rather short, but the next bit of news was enough to snap me out of it._

 _They were looking for the Avatar. They wanted to make sure he wouldn't be there to stop them. So far there's no evidence they succeeded, just death and ashes. I can't see how it was effective. Killing the Air Nomads would have meant nothing; he would have been reincarnated into one of the Water Tribes, and that's only if Sozin succeeded in the first place, which it sounds as if he didn't._

 _In the event that he escaped and is biding his time, he could be hiding anywhere. Everyone's waiting for when he does, us and them, watching for the Avatar's return. I don't know what sign he will be waiting for, but I hope it comes soon._

 _The Earth Kingdom is going to suffer the Fire Nation's wrath next. A sturdy people like that won't bow easily, and even with the new means of production and acquired land, this war is going to be a long one._

Aang took a deep breath. He had known what had led up to the war, and he had traveled across the land, hearing countless stories and seeing the evidence of the conflict, but this was one perspective he had not seen.

"Are you okay?" Ty Lee asked.

"Yeah. It's…it's like the pages are alive."

She stared at him for a moment, but turned her attention back to the journal. "Let's keep reading."

 _Hope remains. There's rumors that Sozin is still looking for the Avatar. No sign of him yet, but that alone is enough to keep me going. Someone is out there that can bring this to an end._

 _Until then, the Earth Kingdom awaits._

[-]

 _It's always the same. We find a village, decimate the garrison and other resistance, then demand their surrender. If the village accepts, we take the place over and wait until our forces can properly occupy the place, then move on. Oftentimes, we face resistance, and the process is messy. More than a few times, I wondered why we even bother. Half of the time we end up destroying the place in the process of occupying the blasted place, or there's so few people that it's practically a ghost town when reinforcements show up._

 _It's difficult to put up with it all. There's fear in their eyes, that's true, but there's also hate building, and it gets more pronounced each day with each village. It won't be long before that hate overwhelms fear…and self-preservation._

[-]

 _Resistance increases the further inland we get. Retaking the colonies was child's play compare to what we face now. What's more, I saw Water Tribe warriors during a skirmish a few days back. We've united the rest of the world against us._

 _I hope I'm stuck in the Earth Kingdom for now, because I'm terrified of crossing the sea if the Water Tribe is patrolling the shore._

 _In the meantime, Earth Kingdom tactics have adapted against our movements. Casualties are mounting. We're to wait until our replacements can catch up to us._

[-]

 _It's been a week and there's no sign of our relief. Our camp is feeling less safe than it once did. I can hear movement outside our camps. They're watching us. Waiting for an opening to strike._

The next entry was written hastily, and with a nervous hand.

 _Assassins in the camp. The lieutenant had…taken a woman into his tent, and became one of her first victims. She managed to get three others before she was caught. She didn't last long, but I could see her struggling to stab me when I put her out of her misery._

 _The captain is furious, but the damage is done. We're moving out._

[-]

 _We know why our replacements were late, heard straight from the survivors' lips._

 _A couple of Earth Kingdom regiments moved in between us and the main force last week, shortly after our replacements departed, forcing them to fight their way to us. We're cut off._

 _The captain is panicking. He's not obvious about it, but his behavior is telling enough. Orders are becoming more erratic, more aggressive. We don't set up a full camp as often, trying to cover our trail, he says. And each day, we have a new target to attack, heedless of our dwindling numbers. We left the colonies with a thousand men with a fully stocked supply train. Even with the surviving replacements, we barely number over one hundred, and we're left with scavenging, hunting, and theft_

 _._

[-]

 _It's official: the captain lost his mind._

 _We found out that a hostile force was heading our way. Not sure if they know where we are, but the villagers who have been victim to our raids would gladly set themselves on fire at this point if it meant we'd die with them._

 _A force of almost ten thousand, and our captain was planning on ordering a frontal assault._

 _He was summarily relieved of command. A mutiny, really. Lieutenant Jong is ordering a withdrawal for the time being until we can find a defensible location, even if that means we have to sneak through enemy lines to find it._

The next entry had only the month and year to tell time, the author losing track of its passage.

 _I never wanted this. I can see it in the others' eyes, too. We're just soldiers. Rank and file. We weren't asked whether we wanted to fight, only told to do so. And here we are, still following each order. Dying for them. I want to run, but I don't think I'll get anywhere doing that, and I can't leave my brothers-in-arms. Not when they've come to see as I have._

 _I want to survive. I want to find a meaning for all of this. If I can do that much, I will devote my life to that cause to the end of my days._

[-]

 _If they didn't know where we were before, they know now. They've been chasing us for two days, and all attempts at throwing them off our trail have failed. I remember hearing Grampa tell stories about hawk-wolves hunting rabbits of all sorts when I was little._

 _I know what it feels to be the rabbit in those stories._

 _The enemy is trying to encircle us. Through persistence and tenacity, I think we've convinced them that we're part of a larger force, and they want us out of the way. I guess there's such a thing as being too successful._

[-]

 _We've jumped from the frying pan and into the fire._

 _We escaped the encirclement. Barely. But before we could quietly celebrate, we stumbled upon a village. I don't know how we missed it, but our state and their numbers forced us to flee, chased into the night by a small army of angry locals and back into the jaws we had just escaped._

 _The lieutenant has given us orders to disperse and take out as many of them as we can, but it didn't take long before I was separated from my squad. Now I'm hiding in a ditch._

 _I can still hear sounds of fighting in the distance, and it sounds like I'm one of the lucky ones._

[-]

 _Morning comes, and I find some of my worst suspicions confirmed. Bodies of my friends were left desecrated in the woods. The culprits have since moved on, otherwise they would have jumped me when I recovered the bodies. What was left of them. They didn't deserve this._

 _Also found the remains of some Earth Kingdom soldiers. Their friends must have missed them when their company moved on. I took time to bury them as well._

By now, only the year remained, and there was a question mark beside that. Dirt covered more of each page, and the type of ink changed.

 _I long since lost track of where I am. For all I know, I've wandered into the Spirit World and my grave-digging is a penance for a damned soul. I keep finding bodies to bury. Earth Kingdom is still moving through, but I think they're satisfied for the moment, so they haven't noticed me digging._

[-]

 _I can't remember the last time I slept. I've eaten some scraps left by the Earth Kingodom and drank rainwater and from springs, but I can't get myself to rest anymore. Too afraid to, I guess. Still no clue where I am. Not sure what to do either. Earth Kingdom will kill me if they find me, and the only way to the Fire Nation is through their lines. If this weather keeps up, it just might kill me before then._

Bits of dried mucus dotted the next entry, as if the author was sick.

 _I've been found. Not by the Fire Nation, nor by Earth Kingdom or Water Tribe. The Air Nomads live!_

 _I was digging another grave when I was approached by a pair of refugees. Girls, not much younger than I am. I'm still wearing my Fire Nation armor, however trashed, yet they risked their lives revealing themselves to me. I probably don't look like a threat anymore. They even brought me back to their camp._

 _As they explain their survival, I'm wondering if this is some sort of hallucination, something to see before I pass on, but they assure me that they're real._

[-]

 _I actually slept. The Air Nomads are still here, so my conscious mind can accept it. I know what I have to do. I don't know what this all means, but I promise that I will do whatever I can to help these people. Even if that means standing up to the Fire Lord himself._

 _My body is still weak from malnourishment and being out in the cold for so long. That will give me time to come up with a plan._

[-]

 _I've been getting to know some of my new friends. I keep expecting, hoping to find Aang when I turn around, but these survivors are mostly from the Northern and Western Temples. If Aang is still alive, he's found another refuge for now._

 _Some of my friends have questions, and many are eager to hear my story. Not exactly sure why. It's not like I've done anything for them, and it certainly has nothing to do with my looks. I looked at my reflection this morning. I have more facial hair than Grampa and Poppa combined, and I look half skeletal and in desperate need of a bath, even though no one has mentioned the smell._

 _I'll take care of it as soon as I ditch my shadow. This girl seems bound and determined to drive me up the wall. I thought it would have been a challenge to convince them I wasn't a threat, but she seems bound and determined to be my friend._

The handwriting abruptly changed; smaller, neater, and dotted with playful language, which looked like it was partially crossed out, but stopped partway through.

 _Grr! I'm Kuzon. I like to think I'm all dark and mysterious, so I spend my days brooding in dark corners. I write in my diary because I have trouble opening up with others. Grr!_

The words abruptly trailed off and returned to those of their original author.

 _For the consideration of others, I should clarify that Ilia was the one who got a hold of this journal last. Ignore the previous entry._

It would be the last journal for a long time, resuming almost a year after the previous entry.

 _I've spoken with some of the older monks, and they have come to the decision to live the remainder of their lives in seclusion. There was some resistance, but it is agreed that living in the open poses a great risk for any of them._

 _Ultimately, I think the group will split. Some will chose to live in the caves, others will mingle with other peoples, blending in with the crowd as they are able. The rest, and these are quite vocal about this, they will work to seal this place and preserve the contents. By the time they're done, this place can be hidden more thoroughly to make safe the occupants and contents alike._

[-]

 _Everything is set for our dispersal. Ilia has chosen to return with me to the Fire Nation territory. She never received her tattoos, so sneaking through the border shouldn't be a problem for her._

 _The Fire Nation has advanced far enough that I can risk contacting them. Even if I would rather distance myself from my homeland, I can't stay here. The best way to get back home is to make sure I'm not executed the moment I set foot in a Fire Nation city. Maybe I can get in contact with my commander._

 _I suppose some would find this all supremely ironic. The Fire Nation began this war by attempting to eliminate the Air Nomads, and now I am working to secure their lives and futures. It won't be enough to undo the atrocities the Fire Nation committed, but it might be enough to start the road to redemption._

 _This will be the last entry for this journal. I want to take it with me, but I can't risk unfriendly eyes finding this. The way things are back home, every page of this journal is treason, and puts these lives at risk._

 _To those who read this, understand what led to this war so that its tragedies may never be repeated._

Finishing the last entry, Ty Lee stood up, a myriad of emotions playing across her face. The rest of the fan club seemed more interested in the story that had been read.

"I said that Kuzon was the name of my great-grandfather," Ty Lee said, "but Ilia was the name of his wife when he returned to the Fire Nation. If this means what I think it does…my great-grandmother was an Air Nomad."

Ty Lee wandered off, slightly swaying in a daze.

"Azula once said how I didn't look like I was Fire Nation. I never thought how right she could be. All this time, a family of Air Nomads, my family, living in the heart of the Fire Nation."

By now, everyone had stopped to listen.

"Wait, you're an Air Nomad, too?"

Ty Lee scratched the back of her head, smiling sheepishly as Aang's fans quickly surrounded her. Aang laughed as she flushed under the sudden surge of attention, but recognized a strange relief in her shoulders.

Looking down at the journal in his hands, thinking about his friend, only two words on his mind.

Thank you.

 **A/N: This chapter is the culmination of some plans that I have had simmering on the backburner for little more than a year.**

 **I had very little info to work off of for Kuzon. That gave me some wiggle room to play with in regards to personal details. I imagine that he was closer to Aang's age before the iceberg, but without concrete data, I aged him up a little, enough to be among the initial invasion force.**

 **For Ty Lee's involvement, I was kind of curious as to why she is largely different in appearance from other Fire Nation citizens. Apart from some kids in S3E2 (The Headband), there's not really anyone else that shares many physical characteristics with her (grey-ish eyes, facial structure, etc.). All in all, she bears more of a resemblance to Aang than anyone else.**

 **What's more, and what really fed this idea, was her natural affinity for acrobatics, even at a young age, and her ability to see auras. Considering other aspects of spiritual sensing and airbending abilities, I thought it a good fit to peg Ty Lee as a descendant of Air Nomads.**

 **Tie these two lines of thought and you get this chapter.**


	49. Supreme Excellence

Chapter 49: Supreme Excellence

Slowly and steadily, Aang, Ty Lee, and the others worked their way through the archives. Finding the method of sorting certainly helped the process, allowing them to prioritize what needed to be removed or copied first.

"Going through all of this is a lot of work," Hei-Won groaned.

"Getting tired of it?" Xing Ying asked

"Not in your life. But this is definitely going to require more time than any of us have available. Hmm…"

"What is it?"

"I don't know. Hey, Aang?" she hollered, waving the airbender over.

"What is it?" he asked.

"What's the Yangchen Festival?"

"Hm? Oh, it's an Air Nomad celebration, named after Avatar Yangchen. Every year, we would visit this coastal inlet. I only went a handful of times before…"

Ying Xing rested a hand on Aang's shoulder. "What was it for?" she asked.

Aang scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "Frankly, I never caught the reasoning. Too busy flying kites with Monk Gyatso. Does it say anything else about it, Hei-Won?"

"It says something about keeping an old promise. Or it's about keeping a monster at bay. The pictures and text are sending mixed messages."

Aang got up and went over to her, peering over her shoulder.

"You're right on both points, mostly." The illustration depicted an armored giant standing among crashing tides and a tempest. "It's a spirit…this could be bad."

"What is it?"

"You see, there was this ritual that we performed every single time we went. If it was really something that kept a dangerous spirit at bay, then no one has kept up with it over the last century."

"Where is this place?"

"Conveniently, not too far from Yu Dao. I'm not sure what else is there now. The cataloging can wait for a little while longer. We have to make sure we resolve this before anyone gets hurt."

[-]

"Not trying to tempt fate or anything," said Sokka. "But it sure is quiet out there."

Zuko grunted. "Yeah. Like the world is holding its breath."

"I hate this waiting. We know they're out there somewhere. Why can't we go destroy their camp, or something?"

"Because I'm not going to be at fault for restarting the war."

"You've harping on that a lot, lately."

"I wonder why?" Zuko asked, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"Sheesh. You don't have to bite my head off for it. You need to find some time to relax."

Zuko exhaled tiredly. "I'll do that once this is all over."

The two stood quietly until Sokka broke the silence.

"On the plus side, Toph's keeping watch."

Bells began to toll from the center of town. Shouts carried down the streets, alerting them to imminent danger. Both men were on their feet, hands twitching to their weapons.

"Did they finally decide to show up?" Sokka asked.

Stones landed at the edge of town, mercifully evacuated.

Zuko rolled his shoulders back and answered, "Does that answer your question?"

"Yup." Both of them ran to the staging area, where Sokka cupped his hands over his mouth and shoted. "Time to go to work, people!"

Another salvo pounded the ground, falling a bit shorter than the first batch. Walls were erected to reinforce the original barriers. By the time the duo reached the observation center, the bombardment had ceased.

"Any sign of another front opening up?" Zuko asked.

"Not right now," she replied.

"Then we go with the first plan."

"I still think it's kind of stupid sending you out by yourself."

"I already got the lecture from Mai. You can both tell me off for my stupidity once this is over. Besides, I need you guys here-"

"In case we get attacked by some other schmucks. You don't need to keep repeating yourself."

"Less talking, more fighting," Sokka urged.

"I'll make this short," Zuko said.

The Avatar ran out towards the edge of the city, then launched himself into the air, then again, landing a short distance in front of the foremost group of hostiles, the suddenness of his appearance bringing the front ranks to a stuttering halt.

"Forces of the Earth Kingdom, stand down!" Zuko ordered.

When they proved hesitant to acknowledge him, he answered by raising a wall between them and the city, him standing at the top of the structure. On the inner side, the stone began to weep lava, forming a moat, driving the assault force back as the wall began to horseshoe around them.

As the enclosure surrounded them, some of the soldiers on the ground organized the ruckus into proper formations and began chucking hunks of rock at the Avatar.

Catching the first stone in one hand, Zuko spun around, carrying its momentum through the arc, then powdered the next one with his other hand, and chucked the missile back into a gap in the opposing lines, widening it further.

The aggressors thoroughly disoriented, the Avatar jumped into their midst, sending out a shockwave from his landing.

"Stand down," Zuko shouted, voice carrying over the battlefield as the soldiers reoriented to face him.

"Under what authority?" the commanding officer demanded, pointing a sword at Zuko.

"By my authority as the Avatar."

He could hear whispering among the ranks, so he took advantage of their silence.

"Let's make this simple. I don't want to see anyone harmed, but if you fools really want to press this attack, I will make quick work of it."

Some looked at him and the walls that were boxing them in, then at the teen standing in their midst.

"What is your answer?"

Before any officers could order otherwise, weapons began clattering to the ground, the rank and file making the decision of them.

"Thank you for you cooperation," Zuko said, letting the walls fall and lava cool.

Back in town, the Avatar saw to the transfer of prisoners. All of them looked ragged, weapons in poor repair and armor like tattered patchwork. Questioning a few revealed the truth of the matter.

The attack had only been comprised of a single battalion, slightly inflated from collecting other diminished units picked up along the way, and had been isolated since the blitz. The attack had been mostly a desperation move guided by revenge. Now that they were dealt with, Zuko was largely content to leave the matter to local officials.

"Was all of that really necessary?" Katara asked.

"It did seem a bit dramatic," Toph agreed. "Even for you."

Zuko sat down on a bench and breathed out quietly. "There's an advantage for shocking any would-be belligerents," he explained. "As of right now, there are no fatalities on either side, and we've convinced them to disband of their own will. I'd call that a win."

"I don't know. It almost seems like a letdown after all that buildup we were doing."

"I'll take a boring win over a costly siege. Besides, we're not done with this yet, so our resources, for the most part, remain untouched."

A familiar groan rumbled overhead, drawing eyes skyward.

Katara narrowed her eyes. "Is that…?"

"Appa!" Toph shouted.

The sky bison swooped in for a landing in town square. By the time the welcoming party arrived, the traveling party had already dismounted, stretching and walking around.

"Looks like Aang picked up some friends," Mai noted.

"Are those… Air Nomads?"

"Twinkle-Toes!" Toph hollered as she quickly ran up and punched him in the shoulder, nearly knocking him down. "Nice to see you finally visit us."

Zuko, Sokka, and Suki followed up closely behind the earthbender,

"You look better than I last saw you," Sokka said.

"I think I feel better," Aang replied, then froze when he saw Katara approach.

The waterbender's expression was impossible to read, but everyone cleared the way between her and Aang.

"Katara…" the airbender began to say when she slapped him across the face. "Ow!"

While he nursed his check, Katara pulled him into a crushing hug, tears dripping from her eyes.

"Welcome back," she said.

The rest of the group watched on as the two continued to hug it out.

"Should we do anything?" Zuko asked.

"Eh…let's let them talk it out," answered Sokka.

Mai watched from afar, only to approach when she saw another familiar face among the crowd.

"Ty Lee?"

Hearing her name, the girl frantically searched for threats, and when she saw Mai, she looked like she wanted to run, but the older girl quickly pulled her into a hug as well, shocking her still. Keeping the hug brief, she held the younger girl out at arms' length and looked her over.

"What happened to you?" Mai asked. "I thought you were dead."

"I kind of got lost." She looked back to Aang and the rest of the fan club with a smile. "I think I found my way again. Looking back to Mai, Ty Lee visibly brightened. "We really need to catch up again."

Tension drained from Zuko's shoulders as everyone chattered amongst each other. Sokka slid next to him, voice dropped to a near-whisper.

"Hate to pull you away from this," he said quietly, "but I think we need to update the mayor on our situation."

Zuko rolled his shoulders back. "Right. You can stay here."

"You sure?"

"There's not much that's changed, and this is easily a one-man job." Zuko turned and patted Sokka on the shoulder. "Keep an eye on things, will you?"

Casting one last glance over his shoulder as he left, at that moment, even if it was only a moment, it seemed like everything would be fine in the universe.

Zuko could only hope it would last.

 **A/N:** **I was originally planning on a series of combat engagements between Yu Dao and the rogue Earth Kingdom forces, but then I decided that didn't fit in this part of the story and was drawing things out unnecessarily, which is why the "fight" is both short and one-sided, hence the title, which comes from Sun Tzu's** _ **Art of War**_ **:**

 _ **"Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."**_

 **But really, what would you do when faced with that much power?**

 **At any rate, another arc is concluded. The Rift will begin next chapter, and more satisfying fights are on the horizon.**


	50. Physics of Fire

The Rift

Chapter 50: Physics of Fire

Entering the mayor's office, Zuko knocked on the door and entered.

"Ah, Avatar Zuko," Morishita said, turning around to face him. "Excellent timing. I was just about to send for you."

"I figured you would like an update sooner rather than later."

"True. I have received bits and pieces, but I would very much appreciate the whole picture."

[-]

Walking down the main drag with Sokka and Suki, Ty Lee cheerfully relayed her story to her surviving friend. Most of it seemed horribly depressing, and she seemed rather tight-lipped about the day of Sozin's Comet, but after that she was more talkative, especially about the last couple of months.

"…And it turns out that my great-grandmother was an Air Nomad."

"That's incredible," Mai responded, making sure she sounded excited for Ty Lee's sake.

"So, what are you doing around here?"

"Travelling with Zuko while he travels across the colony."

"Must be like a dream come true-" Bumping into Sokka, whatever she was going to say was left unsaid. "Hey!"

"Oh no," Sokka whispered, getting both girls' attention.

"What is it?" Mai asked, cautiously reaching for her weapons.

"Trouble."

Wreathed in smoke, a masked figure stared down on them, and murder was in his eyes as he strode down the street towards them. Few people were on the streets, thankfully, and the few the remained quickly retreated to find shelter, but he did not appear to be interested in anyone else.

"It looks like the Wraith's back in town," Suki said, flipping out her fan.

"Has anyone tried talking to him?" Ty Lee asked.

"He doesn't appear to be the negotiating type," Sokka answered. "Get ready for a fight and don't let him get close enough to touch you."

Sokka and Suki began taking positions, but any strategy was promptly scuttled when the Wraith got a clear view of the entire party. Coming to a halt, he hunched over, a snarl building up in his throat.

"Um…is that supposed to happen?" Ty Lee asked.

The Ash Wraith's head snapped back up, eyes wide in fury. Then, rearing back, he let out a roar, reaching sounds and volume that should not have been possible for human vocal chords, an involuntary flinch rippling through everyone who heard it.

The sound faded, and a hateful glare leveled at the group, eyes flaring.

"Here he comes!" Suki called out.

In a single boom, the Wraith came charging forward with speed and tenacity that beggared belief, kicking dust in his wake. Ignoring Sokka and Suki entirely, he blasted the buildings behind them as he passed, cutting the group in half and isolating his prey.

He overshot his target, wheeling around to face them again. Mai shoved Ty Lee behind her and flung a brace of flechettes that did little beyond getting caught in the man's clothes, then palmed a dagger and flung it at his head.

Reaching out, the Wraith caught the blade, practically disintegrating it in his hand, and carried through to lunge, forcing them to dive apart. He backhanded a fireball at Ty Lee and pursued Mai into the nearby house, blasting his way through a chair she shoved into his path.

The house was small, cramped, and, more importantly, empty, so there no one else to get caught in the crossfire. Still, the tight quarters were far from ideal for fighting someone whose primary form of attack was to destroy things with mere touch, and in those milliseconds after entering, Mai charted her escape route.

She shoved a heavy table onto its side, and made for the exit into the backyard, narrowly missing an electrified grip grounding into the wall. Back out in the open, Mai had put some distance between her and her assailant as Ty Lee circled around for her own attack.

Ty Lee had gathered an armful of random items and began throwing them at the Wraith, drawing his attention towards her. He was just beginning to charge when the ground surged up from underneath, knocking him into the air.

In a burst of surprising grace, he caught the roof, sticking the landing, then located the newcomer.

"Need a hand?" Kori asked, swinging her flail around as she walked up to Ty Lee's side.

The Wraith quit snarling for a moment, a smidge of lucidity returning, but retained incandescent rage, and then blurred towards them, the girls diving to the side. A standoff formed, the Wraith positioned in the center as the girls circled around him at a distance. Kori began twirling her flail, ready to swing it at their target, ready to move the second he twitched in their direction.

"He seems oddly fixated on you," said Mai. "Jilted ex-lover, perhaps?"

Kori winced. "Not likely," she replied.

As Mai prepared to draw her sword, she looked him over for weaknesses, then thought better of holding a lightning rod next to an angry storm cloud that was projecting enough hate to be almost tangible to the naked eye.

The impasse broke when the Wraith launched himself towards Kori, dust bursting behind him. Kori let her flail loose, swinging down and across at the charging enemy.

He ducked underneath the swing, reaching up and snapping the chain as he passed, then he lashed out at her face. In the heat of the moment, Kori drove a foot into the ground, jutting up the earth underneath, striking his arm, resulting in an audible crack. The Wraith hardly flinched, switching to his other hand and slapping the formation and detonating the rock with a touch, showering Kori with debris and staggering her back.

As he ran forward, arm cocked back and crackling with lightning. Kori recovered enough to throw a pair of rocks at him, distracting him long enough for Mai to lob a knife that glanced off of his mask, leaving little more than a minor gash on the surface.

The earthbender cracked the ground beneath him, and the Wraith flipped up and around in the air, twisting to land facing his opponent flicked out his wrist.

The broken one.

A gout of fire singed the hair on her face as she leaned back. Ty Lee came up behind and kicked the back of his knee, driving him down. In the same motion, he slammed a palm into the ground, the resulting explosion knocking both girls back, and showering Mai with debris.

Looming over Ty Lee, the Wraith flexed his hand, lightning crackling from his fingertips, ready to kill.

Ty Lee tried to will herself to move, but her muscles refused to cooperate at that moment. While not as incredible or as oppressive as Zuko's aura, it made up for in how caustic it was, causing her to lock up on the spot.

A mass of water splashed over him, shorting out his primed attack. Mai seized the opening, flinging a pair of knives that were blocked or evaded, buying Ty Lee time to snap out of it and escape to a safe distance.

"Waiting for the last moment, huh?" she laughed nervously.

Doused in water, the Wraith flared off a wave of heat that evaporated the moisture as lightning arced off of his body, wholly unaffected by standing in a puddle, until said puddle scooped him up, spinning him around in the air.

"I've got you," Katara declared triumphantly.

Snarling, a burst of fire flared around the Wraith, boiling away the water holding him and dropping him to the nearby rooftops, from which Toph catapulted him further away and into the streets below.

She jumped back down and enclosed him in a cage of earth. Shortly after, it exploded and the Wraith reemerged, shooting them a glare.

"Was that supposed to do any good?" Katara asked.

"It did enough," Toph retorted. "The cavalry's arrived."

Zuko landed a short distance away, the others soon taking positions overlooking the scene. Guards with bows took aim at the criminal as he looked around at the forces arrayed against him, then focused on Zuko, eyes narrowing tightly.

"I don't know who you are," the Avatar called out, "but you have one chance to surrender. You're surrounded."

The Wraith looked around, apparently undeterred, then wordlessly clapped his hands together and pulled them back apart. Energy built up around him, the flows and pulls showing the signs of a crude attempt at bending lightning. Crude, but no less effective, gathering the power from the separation of energies into a single point in front of him, suspended between his hands, all incoming projectiles being slapped out of the way.

"Everybody, move!" Zuko shouted.

The energy was turned outward into a large beam, aimed for Zuko.

Rather than try redirecting the blast, Zuko threw himself out of the way, which proved fortuitous when the beam tore its way through countryside, detonating violently and sending a shockwave through the ground.

Smoke and dust filling the air, Zuko briefly noticed the Wraith escaping through the concealment, dodging and blasting away any obstacles him and Toph threw into his path.

"He's going to get away!" he shouted, just as another explosion rocked the ground.

A blind volley of arrows failed to find a mark, and by the time they had a clear line of sight, the Wraith had disappeared. And like the wake of a retreating storm, the world was quiet once more.

"The reports didn't mention anything like that," Zuko said, dusting himself off. "Is everyone alive?"

Sokka coughed out some dust. "Bumps and bruises mostly, and I think my retinas are still hiding, but everyone's alive."

"That's good."

Mai hauled a shivering Ty Lee back to her feet. Toph and Kori were clearing the streets of debris, allowing others to tackle the mess left behind. Orders were relayed between the guards and offers of help streamed in.

"That's quite a few homes destroyed," said Sokka. "I know earthbending and an army of works will have this cleaned up soon enough, but still…"

"What was that, anyway?" Suki asked.

"Lightning-bending," Zuko answered, "of a sort. It was an unorthodox technique, but it took Sozin's Comet before I saw anything like that out of Azula."

"So that's not normal?"

"If that was the norm for firebenders, it wouldn't have taken a century before they broke into Ba Sing Se. Not even my father demonstrated anything like that, and he was a true firebending master." He took a deep breath and let his arms hang loose at his sides.

Scratching the back of his head, Sokka surveyed the damage. "Looks like we have another update to give the mayor," he said.

Zuko nodded. "Rally everyone else back to the compound. I think we've had enough fun for one day."

[-]

Karuk was surprised when his master stumbled into the cave he had set up, bracing himself against the walls, stripping off his armor one-handed. In anyone else, that was worrying enough, but for someone of his age and agility losing composure like this…

"What happened?" Karuk asked, rushing to his master's side.

The Wraith couldn't speak, but he made some guttural, grumbling noises as he collapsed into the pool. The healer shook his head and immediately got to work, glowing water tracing the young man's body.

"You really did a number on yourself this time. You usually show better restraint that this. What happened out there?"

"Lost control," the Wraith rasped out.

"I can see that. Any particular reason why?"

The Wraith ignored the healer's question, staring up at the ceiling.

"Did you at least move things along?"

The Wraith winced. "No," he growled out.

Karuk shot his leader a look. "This is a surprise."

"I was interrupted before I had could finish it. The Avatar and his companions are formidable opponents." He gasped and cleared his throat, his voice returned to relative normal. "Don't worry. We aren't finished yet."

The Wraith let himself sink into the water, rage warming his bones.

 _Vengeance will be mine._

 **A/N: If any of you are wondering how a random firebender is able to go toe to toe with the Avatar and company, there are two major reasons, one of which will be revealed in the next chapter or two.**

 **Aside from that, out of curiosity, does anyone have any ideas on the identity for the Ash Wraith?**


End file.
